NIGERIA: Insurgents Reportedly Invade Adamawa Secondary School, Abduct Teachers, Students

By Onoja Baba, Nigeria

Suspected insurgents have reportedly attacked Government Day Secondary School in Lassa, Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State near the Adamawa border, abducting an unspecified number of teachers and students in what appears to be another major assault on educational institutions in Nigeria’s North-East.

The attack, which residents say occurred on Monday, has thrown the Lassa community into panic, with eyewitness accounts indicating that the armed assailants stormed the school before whisking away their victims to an unknown destination.

News of the incident first circulated on social media, where residents and concerned Nigerians expressed shock over the latest attack on a learning institution. Many described the development as heartbreaking, urging security agencies to act swiftly to rescue the abducted teachers and students.

“This is heartbreaking and deeply disturbing. My thoughts and prayers are with the abducted teachers, students, their families, and the entire Lassa community. I sincerely hope the security agencies act swiftly to rescue the victims safely and bring those responsible to justice,” one resident wrote.

Another concerned citizen lamented the recurring insecurity in the region, asking, “Terrible! Not again. Where is our government? Are there no people in legal authority who can help the poor masses?”

Others described the incident as another painful reminder of the worsening security situation in communities across Nigeria’s North-East, with many calling for stronger protection of schools and vulnerable rural communities.

Although official details remain sketchy, the latest incident comes barely weeks after suspected insurgents abducted 42 students from Government Day Secondary School in Mussa, also in Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State. That attack forced the Borno State Government to temporarily close and relocate the school under the Safe Schools Initiative while security agencies intensified efforts to rescue the victims.

The recent wave of attacks on schools has heightened concerns over the safety of pupils and teachers across Nigeria’s North-East. Education stakeholders have repeatedly warned that continued assaults on schools threaten access to education for thousands of children already affected by years of insurgency.

The Lassa axis has long remained vulnerable because of its proximity to insurgency-affected communities around the Sambisa Forest and the Borno-Adamawa border. Security analysts have warned that despite sustained military offensives against terrorist groups, isolated communities and schools continue to face significant threats from insurgents seeking to spread fear and disrupt education.

As of press time, neither the military nor the police had released an official statement confirming the latest attack in Lassa, while anxious families and community members awaited further information on the fate of the abducted teachers and students.