Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Suspected terrorists, believed to be members of the Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) groups, launched a devastating attack on Government Day Secondary School in Lassa town, Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, on Monday morning, June 29, 2026, killing one teacher and abducting an unspecified number of students who were writing the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) conducted by the National Examinations Council (NECO) .
The attack occurred around 9 a.m. on a busy market day, throwing the community into chaos as heavily armed insurgents, reportedly dressed in military camouflage and riding motorcycles, swept through the town unchallenged . Eyewitnesses said the terrorists targeted the school while students were writing their NECO examinations, whisking away an unspecified number of candidates and teachers to an unknown destination, with at least one teacher shot dead during the assault .
Residents alleged that Nigerian military troops stationed in the area had reportedly left on a patrol to nearby Uba, about 16 kilometres from Lassa, just before the insurgents struck . “The soldiers were not around when the terrorists invaded. They came in large numbers, firing sporadically and causing panic everywhere. They took away students writing NECO and their teachers,” an eyewitness said .
The attackers, who wore military and forest guard uniforms, passed through a military checkpoint before storming the school . They shot sporadically into the air, causing panic among students, teachers and residents before whisking away an unknown number of candidates into the bush . One teacher was reportedly killed during the attack, while another sustained injuries . Residents claimed that two teachers and one female student were killed during the attack, with the student shot in the mouth . The terrorists also abducted women selling food items within the school premises .
The Borno State Police Command confirmed the incident, saying efforts were ongoing to determine the exact number of students taken, as some candidates remained unaccounted for . Police spokesperson ASP Nahum Kenneth Daso confirmed that security operatives confronted the attackers, preventing a larger-scale abduction . “Around 9 a.m. in the morning, ISWAP attacked Lassa Day Secondary School. They shot sporadically. An unspecified number of students have been abducted. Security forces confronted them. For now, we have an unspecified number of students who were abducted. The CP deployed the Area Commander in Askira/Uba. They are currently combing the bush,” Daso said .
The Commissioner of Police deployed the Area Commander in Askira/Uba, and security operatives, including the military, the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) and other agencies, have launched a coordinated search-and-rescue operation, combing the surrounding forests in an effort to locate the abducted students and apprehend the attackers . The Chairman of Askira/Uba Local Government Area, Mada Saidu, declined to comment, saying, “I am very busy now. We are in a situation” .
This attack comes just weeks after a similar incident in the same local government area. On May 16, 2026, PUNCH Online reported that 42 students and pupils were abducted after suspected Boko Haram terrorists attacked Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in Askira/Uba Local Government Area . The senator representing Borno South, Ali Ndume, had said the abductees comprised four students of Government Day Secondary School, 28 primary school pupils and 10 children abducted from their homes .
The latest attack has heightened concerns over the safety of schools in parts of the North-East despite ongoing efforts by security agencies to protect educational institutions from armed groups . As of the time of this report, the exact number of abducted students and teachers remained unclear, with residents continuing to search for missing persons . The Borno State Government had previously ordered the closure and relocation of Government Day Secondary School in Mussa following the May abduction, but the attack on Lassa underscores the persistent threat facing schools in the region .
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