**Dozens of Students Missing After Nigerian School Attack**
In a distressing incident, gunmen have abducted at least 36 students and one staff member from the Government Day Secondary School in Lassa, located in the Askira-Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, northeastern Nigeria. This attack, which took place on Monday morning, highlights the ongoing crisis of violence against educational institutions in the region.
Initial reports from Nigerian authorities indicated that an unspecified number of students had been kidnapped. However, subsequent updates revealed that ten students and teachers were rescued during a military operation aimed at countering the attackers. Borno State’s Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Lawan Wakiibe, confirmed on Tuesday that 36 students—25 girls and 11 boys—remain unaccounted for, along with one staff member.
The attack resulted in tragic consequences, with one teacher reported killed and another critically injured. The fate of a third teacher remains uncertain as they are still missing. Commissioner Wakiibe expressed hope, stating that security services have assured them that rescue efforts are underway.
Local media outlet Vanguard reported that the Borno State government has initiated a register for families to report their missing relatives, with 37 students listed as missing according to parental accounts. This indicates a growing concern among families affected by the violence.
In response to the abduction, the Nigerian military engaged in a firefight with suspected militants from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) during the rescue operation. While the military reported killing an unspecified number of attackers and seizing seven motorcycles, the operation was not without its casualties. One soldier and a member of a civilian task force lost their lives in the confrontation.
The northern and Middle Belt regions of Nigeria have been plagued by a persistent wave of kidnappings, banditry, and communal violence, with armed groups frequently targeting travelers, villages, and educational institutions. The issue gained international notoriety in 2014 when Boko Haram militants kidnapped 276 schoolgirls from Chibok in Borno State, drawing global condemnation and calls for action.
This recent attack comes just weeks after another incident in which armed assailants abducted more than 40 students from the Primary and Junior Government Day Secondary School in the Mussa-Biri community, also within the Askira-Uba Local Government Area, on May 15. Such incidents underscore the ongoing challenges faced by the Nigerian government in securing schools and protecting students.
As the situation develops, the families of the missing students await news, while the government and military continue their efforts to combat the violence that has become all too common in the region.