Suspected members of Boko Haram launched an assault on a primary and junior secondary school in the Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State on Friday, abducting numerous pupils and students. The incident took place around 9:00 a.m. at the Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School, situated in the Mussa community along the eastern edge of the Sambisa Forest.
Confirmation by Local Officials
Samaila Kaigama, President of the Borno South Youth Alliance (BSYA), confirmed the attack to The Guardian in Maiduguri. He stated: "The insurgents stormed the school without resistance and took away an unspecified number of pupils and students." Kaigama added that the assailants "forcefully packed some children, number unspecified yet." He noted that the abductors are believed to be the same faction responsible for the Ngoshe kidnapping of over 400 residents. The victims were day scholars, not boarders, as the school does not operate a boarding system.
Legislator's Account
Abdullahi Askira, Deputy Speaker of the Borno State House of Assembly, also confirmed the attack but indicated that details regarding the abductions remained unclear. "Details of the attack are sketchy, but the information at my disposal has it that many of the students fled into the bush, but I don't have details of those abducted," he explained. He described the event as disheartening, noting that the insurgents struck shortly after military patrols had left the area.
The spokesperson for the Borno State Police Command, ASP Nahum Daso, stated that the command had not yet received full details of the incident. "As of now, I have not gotten any information. We are still making verification," he said. Efforts to reach the chairman of Askira/Uba Local Government Area, Madu Saidu, were unsuccessful as his phone went unanswered.
