Suspected Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters stormed Government Day Secondary School in Lassa, Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State around 9:00 a.m. on June 29, 2026.
The non-state actors storms the community on motorcycles, dressed in military camouflage, disrupted the examination and forced students and teachers to flee for safety.
Witnesses said the attackers opened fire as students sat for their examinations, students jumped through windows, while others escaped into nearby bushes, teachers also ran for cover as gunshots echoed across the school compound.
“The children were writing their examinations when we heard gunshots,” a resident said. “Everyone scattered. It was complete chaos.”
The attack left one teacher dead and another injured. The insurgents also abducted an unspecified number of students before retreating from the area.
Families gathered outside the school in search of their children. Many parents moved from one community to another, hoping to find missing students.
Security personnel responded quickly to the attack.
According to security sources, troops engaged the attackers and prevented a larger abduction.
Police authorities have deployed additional personnel to search nearby forests and possible escape routes.
Borno State Police Command spokesperson ASP Nahum Daso confirmed the incident and said security agencies had intensified rescue efforts.
“We are working to account for all missing students and secure their release,” he said.
Investigators have also strengthened security around the affected community.
The latest attack has deepened concerns about the safety of schools in southern Borno.
Residents still remember the May 15, 2026 abduction of 42 pupils and students from Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in Askira/Uba Local Government Area.
Community leaders say repeated attacks threaten access to education and discourage parents from sending their children to school.
“Our classrooms should represent hope and opportunity,” one local leader said. “Instead, many families now fear for the safety of their children.”
Education advocates warn that continued assaults on schools could reverse years of progress in rebuilding communities affected by insurgency.
Security agencies continue their search operations as families wait anxiously for updates.
For many parents, June 29 began as an important day in their children’s academic journey. By midday, it had turned into a painful struggle for answers.
Students who arrived at school hoping to secure their future now face uncertainty and trauma.
For the people of Lassa, the attack serves as another reminder that insecurity still threatens education in parts of northeastern Nigeria.
