Seven victims have been rescued after the Borno school attack, while security operatives continue searching for those still missing
Security operatives have rescued seven victims following the Borno school attack on Lassa Day Secondary School in Askira/Uba Local Government Area, where suspected ISWAP militants abducted students and other civilians during a National Examinations Council, NECO, examination.
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The rescue operation was carried out on Monday by a joint team comprising the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Police Force and members of the Civilian Joint Task Force, as efforts continue to locate those still missing.
Borno State Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Usman Tar, confirmed the development, saying authorities were still assessing the identities of those rescued.
“For now, seven of them have been rescued. We cannot confirm their gender yet. Assessment is still ongoing,” Tar said.
The commissioner added that search operations remain active, noting that the exact number of students and other victims still unaccounted for has not yet been established.
According to security officials, the attackers arrived on motorcycles at about 9 a.m. and opened fire before abducting an unspecified number of students sitting for the NECO examination.
Women selling food within the school premises were also reportedly taken away during the raid.
Tar said the state government has deployed a delegation to Lassa community to assess the situation, reassure residents and support ongoing response efforts.
Earlier, the spokesperson for the Borno State Police Command, **Nahum Daso**, confirmed the assault, stating that security personnel engaged the attackers and prevented what could have become a larger mass abduction.
“Around 9 a.m., ISWAP attacked Lassa Day Secondary School. They shot sporadically. An unspecified number of students have been abducted,” Daso said.
The latest rescue offers a measure of hope for affected families, but the incident has again highlighted persistent security concerns around schools in parts of north-east Nigeria that remain vulnerable to attacks by insurgent groups.
The assault also echoes previous attacks on educational institutions in the region, despite years of military operations and the implementation of school protection initiatives aimed at safeguarding students and teachers.
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Authorities said search efforts are continuing in nearby forests and surrounding communities as security agencies work to secure the safe return of the remaining abductees.
