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Suspected gunmen on Monday attacked Government Day Secondary School in Lassa, Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, killing a teacher and abducting an unspecified number of students in a fresh assault that has reignited concerns over the security of schools in northern Nigeria.
The attackers reportedly stormed the border community linking Borno and Adamawa states on motorcycles before heading straight to the school, where they opened fire, fatally shot a teacher and forcefully whisked away students from their classrooms.
The attack occurred on Lassa's weekly market day, a period when residents were engaged in commercial activities, allowing the assailants to strike with little resistance before fleeing with their victims.
Confirming the incident, the Special Adviser to the Adamawa State Governor on Media and Strategy, Solomon Kwamagar, said the attackers exploited the busy market atmosphere to carry out the operation.
Kwamagar, an indigene of Lassa, disclosed that the gunmen rode through the market into the school premises, where they carried out the deadly attack before escaping with the students.
"Today is Lassa market day. They came through the market on motorcycles, went to Government Day Secondary School, killed one teacher and took away the students who were in their classrooms," he said.
He noted that residents were taken by surprise as the attackers encountered little opposition during the operation.
Kwamagar explained that although Lassa is located in Borno State, it is largely inhabited by members of the Margi ethnic group, many of whom also live in neighbouring Adamawa State.
He added that efforts were ongoing to determine the exact number of students and school personnel abducted during the attack, saying authorities were still compiling details from the community.
As of the time of filing this report, no official figure had been released by security agencies regarding the number of victims.
Attempts to obtain confirmation from the Adamawa State Police Command were unsuccessful, as the spokesperson, SP Suleiman Nguroje, could not be reached.
The latest attack has renewed concerns over the vulnerability of schools in conflict-prone communities, despite ongoing efforts by the Federal Government and security agencies to strengthen protection for educational institutions.
Nigeria has witnessed repeated attacks on schools in recent years, with armed groups targeting pupils and teachers for abduction, often demanding ransom and disrupting academic activities.
Security experts have warned that the continued assaults could further undermine education in affected regions by discouraging school enrolment and forcing communities to keep children away from classrooms.
Residents of the area have called on security agencies to intensify surveillance around schools, particularly those located in remote and border communities vulnerable to attacks.
The incident comes amid renewed national debate over the effectiveness of measures aimed at safeguarding schools, with stakeholders urging authorities to strengthen intelligence gathering, improve rapid response capabilities and ensure the safe return of the abducted students while bringing the perpetrators to justice.
