Suspected Boko Haram insurgents have reportedly attacked a primary and junior secondary school in Askira-Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, with several pupils feared abducted during the invasion.
The attack occurred on Friday morning at Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School, located in Mussa community near the Sambisa Forest, an area that has witnessed repeated insurgent activities in recent years.
According to local sources, the attackers stormed the school premises on motorcycles shortly after troops on routine patrol reportedly left the area. The incident caused panic among pupils and residents, forcing many students to flee into nearby bushes for safety.
Confirming the incident, President of the Borno South Youth Alliance, Samaila Kaigama, said an unspecified number of children were taken away by the attackers.
“They came this morning and picked some primary school pupils. It is a day school and not a boarding school,” he said.
The Deputy Speaker of the Borno State House of Assembly, Abdullahi Askira, also confirmed the attack but noted that details regarding the number of abducted pupils were still unclear as of press time.
He explained that many students escaped into surrounding bushes during the attack, while security agencies continued efforts to determine the actual number of victims.
Some local reports later indicated that several students and a teacher were released, though a few pupils were still reportedly unaccounted for.
The spokesperson of the Borno State Police Command, ASP Nahum Daso, said authorities were still verifying details of the incident at the time of reporting.
The latest attack has renewed concerns over the safety of schools and communities in parts of North-East Nigeria still affected by insurgency.