Terrorists, suspected to be members of the Boko Haram group have reportedly attacked a school in Lassa town in Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State.
The attack occurred on a busy market day, throwing the community into chaos as heavily armed insurgents, said to be dressed in military camouflage and riding motorcycles, reportedly swept through the town unchallenged.
Reports emerged, that at the school, the abducted students sitting the ongoing National Examinations Council (NECO) examinations and several teachers, with one teacher killed.
Eyewitnesses said that the terrorists targeted the community while students were sitting their NECO examinations, whisking away an unspecified number of candidates and teachers to an unknown destination.
Sources said at least one teacher was shot dead during the assault, although the exact casualty figure remains unclear as residents continue to search for missing persons.
The incident has sparked outrage among residents, who alleged that troops of the Nigerian military stationed in the area had reportedly left on a patrol to nearby Uba, about 16 kilometres from Lassa, when the insurgents struck.
“The soldiers were not around when the terrorists invaded. They came in large numbers, firing sporadically and causing panic everywhere. They took away students writing NECO and their teachers,” an eyewitness said.
When reporters reached out to the spokesperson for the state police command, ASP Nahum Kenneth Daso, he said he was in a meeting and that the police were “gathering evidence.”
“I will call you back,” he said.
(Ripples)