The ongoing National Examinations Council (NECO) examination was disrupted in Borno State on Monday after suspected ISWAP terrorists attacked a secondary school in Lassa community, Askira/Uba Local Government Area, abducting an unspecified number of students and killing a teacher.

Attack disrupts NECO examination

The attackers reportedly stormed Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, at about 9:00 a.m. while students were writing their NECO Senior Secondary Certificate Examination.

Witnesses said the gunmen arrived on motorcycles and fired several gunshots into the air, sending students, teachers and residents fleeing for safety.

Besides the students, some women selling food around the school premises were also abducted during the attack.

Police confirm abduction

The Borno State Police Command confirmed the incident, saying one teacher was killed while another sustained injuries during the attack.

Police spokesperson, ASP Nahum Daso, said an unspecified number of students were taken away by the attackers, while some others remain unaccounted for.

He added that security personnel immediately responded to the attack and prevented what could have been a larger abduction.

Rescue operation underway

Security operatives, including the military, police and members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), have launched a joint operation to rescue the victims.

Authorities said at least seven abducted persons have so far been rescued, while efforts are continuing to locate those still missing.

Security teams are combing nearby forests and surrounding communities as investigations continue.

The attack adds to growing security concerns in Nigeria’s North-East, where insurgent groups have repeatedly targeted schools despite ongoing military operations in the region. As of the time of filing this report, neither NECO nor the Federal Ministry of Education had issued an official statement on the incident or its impact on the examination.