Gunmen Invade Borno School, Kill Teacher, Abduct Students

A teacher has been confirmed dead while several students were abducted after suspected gunmen attacked Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, in Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State on Monday.

The attack, which occurred in the border community between Borno and Adamawa states, has renewed concerns over the safety of schools in Nigeria, coming only weeks after the abduction of dozens of pupils and teachers from schools in Oyo State.
According to available information, the armed men arrived on motorcycles and headed straight to the secondary school, where they opened fire, killed a teacher, and forcefully took students away from their classrooms.
The Special Adviser to Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Fintiri on Media and Strategy, Solomon Kwamagar, confirmed the incident on Monday.
Kwamagar, an indigene of Lassa, said the attackers exploited the community’s market day, when many residents were occupied with trading activities, to launch the assault.
“Today is Lassa market day. I was informed that they came through the market on motorcycles and went to Government Day Secondary School, Lassa. They shot and killed one teacher and took away all the students who were in their classrooms,” he said.
He explained that residents were caught by surprise as the attackers operated with little resistance before fleeing with the victims.
Kwamagar noted that Lassa, although located in Borno State, is predominantly inhabited by the Margi ethnic group, whose population also extends into neighbouring Adamawa State. He added that while he is from Lassa, he currently lives in Madagali Local Government Area of Adamawa State.
He further disclosed that efforts were ongoing to determine the exact number of students and school personnel abducted during the attack.
“I’m still making contacts to ascertain the total number of students and teachers who were kidnapped from the school,” he said.
As of the time of filing this report, authorities had not released an official figure for those abducted.
Attempts to reach the spokesperson of the Adamawa State Police Command, SP Suleiman Nguroje, for confirmation were unsuccessful, as his telephone line was switched off.
The latest attack has once again raised fears about the security of educational institutions, particularly in communities vulnerable to attacks by armed groups.
Schools across several northern states have repeatedly come under attack in recent years, with hundreds of pupils and students kidnapped for ransom or other purposes.
Security experts have warned that continued attacks on schools could discourage enrolment, disrupt learning, and further deepen the education crisis in affected communities.
Residents have urged security agencies to strengthen surveillance around schools, especially those in remote and border communities.
Monday’s incident comes only weeks after another major school abduction in Oyo State, where gunmen reportedly stormed schools in Oriire Local Government Area and abducted dozens of pupils and teachers.
The Oyo incident triggered nationwide outrage and renewed calls for improved security under the Federal Government’s Safe Schools Initiative.
Although security agencies have intensified rescue operations in recent months, recurring attacks continue to expose the vulnerability of students and teachers in several parts of the country.
With this latest mass abduction, pressure is mounting on both federal and state governments to strengthen school security, improve intelligence gathering, and ensure those responsible are brought to justice.