Fear and confusion swept through parts of Borno State on Friday after suspected Boko Haram terrorists attacked a school in the Askira Uba Local Government Area, with several pupils feared abducted during the violent raid.
The incident reportedly occurred at Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in the Mussa community, an area located close to the Sambisa Forest axis, which has remained one of the major operational hideouts for insurgent groups in Nigeria’s North East region.
Residents said the attackers stormed the school premises during school hours while pupils and teachers were engaged in academic activities. The sudden invasion reportedly triggered panic across the community as gunshots forced children, teachers, and residents to flee for safety.
Local sources disclosed that several pupils were allegedly taken away by the armed attackers, although the exact number of missing children had not been officially confirmed as of Friday evening.
Community leaders and youth groups in the area confirmed the attack shortly after the incident. The President of the Borno South Youth Alliance, Samaila Kaigama, stated that the gunmen invaded the school without resistance before escaping through nearby bush paths believed to connect to insurgent routes around the Sambisa Forest region.
According to eyewitnesses, some pupils managed to escape during the confusion by running into nearby bushes and surrounding settlements, while others remain unaccounted for.
The latest attack has once again renewed fears over the persistent insecurity affecting schools and rural communities across northern Nigeria, particularly in areas exposed to insurgent violence and terrorist activities.
Parents and relatives reportedly rushed to the school immediately after hearing news of the attack, desperately searching for their children amid growing uncertainty over the fate of the missing pupils.
Security operatives, including soldiers, local vigilante groups, and other emergency responders, were reportedly deployed to the area shortly after the incident. Search and rescue operations were said to be ongoing in surrounding communities and forest areas as authorities attempt to locate the abducted children and track down the attackers.
As of the time this report was filed, officials of the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigerian military had yet to issue a detailed statement confirming the number of victims or the identities of those abducted.
The attack adds to the growing list of assaults targeting schools in northern Nigeria over the past decade. Educational institutions in several states have repeatedly come under attack from insurgent groups, armed bandits, and criminal networks involved in mass kidnappings for ransom and terror related operations.
Boko Haram has remained one of the deadliest insurgent groups operating in West Africa. Since the beginning of its violent campaign in 2009, the group has been responsible for thousands of deaths, large scale displacement, destruction of communities, and repeated attacks on schools, religious centres, markets, and military formations.
The attack in Askira Uba has also revived painful memories of the 2014 Chibok schoolgirls abduction, where more than 270 female students were kidnapped from Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, also located in Borno State. The incident attracted global condemnation and sparked the international “Bring Back Our Girls” campaign that drew attention to insecurity in Nigeria’s North East.
Over the years, several similar mass abductions have occurred in states including Kaduna, Niger, Zamfara, Katsina, and Kebbi, raising concerns about the vulnerability of schools in remote and conflict prone communities.
Security analysts have repeatedly warned that attacks on educational institutions continue to threaten access to education in northern Nigeria, forcing some schools to shut down while discouraging parents from allowing children to attend classes.
Humanitarian organisations have also expressed concern that repeated attacks on schools could worsen Nigeria’s already alarming out of school children crisis, particularly in regions affected by terrorism and armed conflict.
Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum has in recent years intensified calls for stronger security collaboration between federal authorities, local communities, and security agencies to combat insurgency and improve safety across vulnerable areas.
The Federal Government had previously launched the Safe Schools Initiative and other security intervention programmes aimed at protecting students and educational institutions in conflict affected regions. However, recurring attacks continue to expose major security challenges facing rural communities.
Residents of Askira Uba and surrounding communities remain gripped by anxiety as rescue operations continue, with many families hoping the missing children will be safely recovered.
The latest attack underscores the continuing security concerns in parts of northern Nigeria despite ongoing military offensives against insurgent and terrorist groups operating within the region.
