Residents of Lassa community in Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State remain in distress after suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) militants attacked Government Day Secondary School on Monday.
According to a Daily Trust report published on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, heavily armed gunmen stormed the school, disrupting academic activities and forcing students, teachers, and residents to flee. Security personnel, supported by local hunters, launched a counter-operation that rescued nine students and one teacher. One soldier and one local hunter were killed during the operation, while several students and teachers remain missing.
A follow-up rescue mission on Tuesday failed to secure additional releases, deepening anxiety among affected families.
Adamu Lassa, whose daughter Wamdai is the school’s head girl, recalled receiving a distressing phone call from her during the attack. “She cried and said, ‘Forgive me, Baba, they have abducted us,’” he said, adding that a man later took the phone and assured him the captives would not be harmed.
The attack has renewed concerns over school security in conflict-affected parts of Borno State, with residents urging authorities to intensify efforts to rescue the remaining abductees and strengthen protection for vulnerable communities.
