More details have emerged about Monday’s mass abduction of candidates sitting the ongoing National Examinations Council (NECO) practical examinations in Lassa, Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, with a security source alleging that the attackers exploited a suspicious security vacuum after soldiers stationed near the school departed on what residents believe was a questionable patrol.
In an exclusive interview with SaharaReporters, the source, who is a senior security agent, provided a minute-by-minute account of how suspected Boko Haram insurgents disguised as members of the military and the newly created Forest Guard security outfit stormed the town, abducting an unspecified number of candidates and a teacher, while shooting another teacher in the neck.
According to the source, the attack occurred between 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. on Monday, just as students were preparing to begin their NECO practical examination.
“What happened is that this morning, around 8:30, the students were preparing to enter the examination hall for their practical. Today is also the market day in Lassa, so there were many people in town,” the source said.
The Government Day Secondary School, where the attack occurred, is situated less than 500 metres from a military base located inside the Federal Science and Technical College in Lassa.
The source explained that students of the federal technical college had earlier been relocated to Michika in neighbouring Adamawa State because of persistent insecurity, leaving only the secondary school operating in the immediate vicinity of the military camp.
Attackers Allegedly Disguised as Soldiers and Forest Guards
According to the source, villagers reported that the attackers arrived wearing military camouflage and Forest Guard uniforms, giving the impression that they were legitimate security personnel conducting a routine patrol.
“They came wearing Forest Guard uniforms. Some wore military uniforms. They disguised themselves as though they were on a normal patrol,” the source said.
Without initially firing a shot, the armed men reportedly drove directly to the school, surrounded the premises and began taking students away.
“They went straight to the school. They cordoned off the entire school and abducted an unspecified number of students.”
One teacher was reportedly abducted alongside the students, while two others were shot. One, identified as an examination officer, was killed, and another was shot in the neck and rushed to hospital.
“As we speak, authorities have not disclosed the number of students missing. One teacher was shot in the neck and another teacher was taken away with the students,” the source said, adding that among the victims were his elder brother’s daughter, Asta Mallum Bura, 18, and a neighbour’s daughter, Fibi Ibrahim, 18.
According to the source, most of the abducted students were female.
“The teacher who was abducted is the Vice Principal,” the source said.
Military Patrol Raises Questions
Perhaps the most troubling allegation made by the source concerns the movement of troops stationed only a short distance from the school.
According to the source, the military commander at the Lassa camp allegedly assembled the soldiers and departed for a patrol in Dille village, about seven kilometres away, less than five minutes before the attack began.
“The commander came and summoned the soldiers. They left for Dille on what we believe was a patrol.”
The source claimed the neighbouring village is only about a five-minute drive from Lassa because of the good road network.
“According to what we gathered, the soldiers left less than five minutes before the terrorists arrived,” he said.
Despite the proximity of the patrol location, the source alleged that the troops did not return during the attack.
“They did not come back while the attack was going on giving the terrorists leverage to escape with the students,” the source said.
Residents Suspect Conspiracy
The timing of the military’s departure has fuelled widespread suspicion among residents, who believe there may have been prior intelligence about the attack.
“What the villagers are looking at is a suspicion of conspiracy and foul play. They believe some security stakeholders knew what was going to happen and left the innocent people exposed,” a community leader told SaharaReporters on condition of anonymity.
The community leader stressed that these were suspicions held by members of the community and not established facts.
He added that he intends to establish whether the patrol was ordered by the local camp commander or higher-ranking officers based in Uba.
“I will make inquiries to know whether it was the resident captain or major who led the patrol, or whether the order came from higher up,” the source said.
One of the sources noted that Monday’s incident closely resembles another attack that occurred about a month earlier in nearby Musa community, also within Askira/Uba Local Government Area.
He warned that the recurring attacks suggest worsening insecurity in southern Borno despite repeated military operations against insurgents.
As of Monday afternoon, officials had yet to establish the number of students abducted.
The source explained that communication difficulties and widespread panic prevented teachers from carrying out an immediate headcount.
“The network is very poor, and everyone is traumatised. It is only the examination officers who will eventually determine exactly how many students are missing,” the source explained.
He disclosed that his younger brother, who teaches at the school, survived the attack, although communication with him has remained difficult.
“My younger brother is a teacher there. I could not reach him myself, but one of my cousins spoke with him and confirmed he is safe,” the source said.
The source said the teacher shot during the attack “was rushed to the hospital”.
“We are praying for him. Being shot in the neck is very serious, but we are trusting God,” the source said.
Gunmen Allegedly Used Vigilante Motorcycles
The source further alleged that the attackers rode motorcycles resembling those distributed by the Borno State Government to vigilante groups and Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) members.
According to him, the insurgents also arrived in Hilux vehicles used to transport the abducted students.
“They came on motorcycles painted like those used by the vigilantes and also used Hilux vehicles to carry away the children,” the source said.
The source, however, expressed confidence that local vigilantes were unlikely to have knowingly participated in the attack.
Instead, he suggested they may also have been unknowingly drawn away from the community by the same patrol that took away the military personnel.
“If the vigilantes had known an attack was coming, I believe they would have stayed behind to defend their community,” he said.
The source appealed for urgent intervention, warning that communities in southern Borno are increasingly vulnerable to repeated insurgent attacks.
“This is very serious. We are begging the media to be our voice. Let the international community know what is happening here because the situation is getting worse,” the source said.
When contacted by SaharaReporters, the Borno State Police Command confirmed the abduction.
Police spokesperson, ASP Nuhu Kenneth Daso, confirmed the incident to SaharaReporters on Monday, describing it as a terrorist attack that occurred between 9:00 a.m. and 9:30 a.m.
The confirmation follows an earlier SaharaReporters report that heavily armed insurgents, believed to be Boko Haram fighters, stormed Lassa on motorcycles during the town’s busy market day, firing sporadically and causing panic as they abducted examination candidates and teachers.
Although the police could not immediately confirm the number of those abducted or killed, local sources had earlier told SaharaReporters that at least one teacher was shot dead during the attack.
“Yes, there was an attack on Lassa today around 9:00 to 9:30 in the morning where students and teachers were abducted. As of now, the number of those abducted is unspecified. On the fatalities, honestly, I do not have details yet,” Daso said.
He added that a joint team of police and military personnel had launched a pursuit operation in a bid to rescue the victims.
“The Area Commander in Askira/Uba has mobilised troops comprising the police and the military who are now on the chase of the terrorists in the surrounding bushes to rescue the victims,” he said.
