Suspected Boko Haram Insurgents Attack Borno School, Many Pupils Feared Abducted in Askira Uba LGA

Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.

Gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram or ISWAP terrorists invaded Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in the Askira Uba Local Government Area of Borno State on Friday morning, May 15, 2026, abducting an unspecified number of pupils in a brazen attack that exploited a temporary security gap. The assailants, who arrived on a large number of motorcycles, struck the remote community located on the fringes of the Sambisa Forest just minutes after a military patrol left the area . The incident, which took place around 9 a.m. while students were in class, has left the community in a state of shock and desperation, with many calling for urgent prayers as the exact number of missing children remains unknown .

The President of the Borno South Youth Alliance, Samaila Kaigama, confirmed the attack, stating that the gunmen took the children without facing any resistance. He noted that the victims were pupils of a day school, not a boarding facility, and that the abductors are believed to be from the same faction responsible for the mass kidnapping in Ngoshe community earlier this year . Reports indicate that some children managed to flee into the surrounding bush as the attackers stormed the premises, but a significant number were rounded up and taken away .

The Deputy Speaker of the Borno State House of Assembly, Abdullahi Askira, who hails from the affected Local Government Area, confirmed the attack but stated that details regarding the exact number of abducted students were still sketchy. He expressed dismay that the insurgents struck almost immediately after the departure of a military patrol, suggesting that the attackers had been monitoring troop movements before launching their assault . The incident highlights the persistent security challenges facing rural communities in Borno, particularly those located near the vast Sambisa Forest, which serves as a major hideout for terrorist elements.

While initial reports raised fears of mass abductions, a later update by Channels Television indicated that the students and one of their teachers may have been released, with only four students still unaccounted for as of Friday afternoon . However, this conflicting information has not been independently verified, and authorities have yet to issue an official statement on the number of victims still in captivity. The police have confirmed that they are still making verifications and have been unable to reach the Divisional Police Officer in charge of the Askira Uba area due to poor network connectivity .

Efforts to reach the Chairman of Askira Uba Local Government Area, Madu Saidu, for comment were unsuccessful, as calls to his line went unanswered . The attack on the school in Mussa village represents a continued pattern of targeting educational institutions in Nigeria's conflict-ravaged North-East. Analysts have long observed that armed groups view schools as strategic targets due to the high emotional and political stakes involved, using abductions to draw attention and pressure governments .

The Kogi State orphanage abduction case from April 2026 serves as a grim reminder of the persistent vulnerability of schools across Nigeria. In that incident, gunmen raided an unregistered orphanage and school in Lokoja, abducting 23 pupils and the wife of the proprietor, although 15 were later rescued . The Kogi State Government subsequently warned against the operation of unregistered schools in remote areas, highlighting the dangers of inadequate security oversight . Similarly, the Mussa school attack underscores the risks faced by educational institutions operating in isolated, insecure regions where troops are not permanently stationed.

The Deputy Speaker further noted that the insurgents appeared to have been spying on troop movements before executing their attack, a tactic that has been used by terrorist groups to exploit fleeting vulnerabilities in community security. "This signifies that the attackers were spying on the movement of troops before they struck," Askira told reporters . As search and rescue operations continue, the community of Mussa remains on edge, awaiting official confirmation of the fate of their children. The Borno State Police Command has yet to release a detailed statement on the incident, but efforts to coordinate a response are reportedly ongoing.

As the nation waits for updates on this tragic event, the attack serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing insurgency in the North-East and the continued vulnerability of children who simply sought to get an education. The incident has drawn condemnation from across the country, with calls for increased protection for schools and the strengthening of community-based security initiatives to prevent future occurrences.

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