Authorities in northeastern Nigeria are continuing their search for dozens of students and teachers who were abducted after armed gunmen attacked a secondary school in Borno State earlier this week.
The raid took place Monday at Government Day Secondary School in the town of Lassa as students were sitting for their final secondary school examinations. State officials said 36 students—25 girls and 11 boys—and three teachers were taken during the attack. One teacher was killed, while security forces later rescued several students and staff members. More than 30 people are still missing.
Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum has sent senior government officials to the community and pledged to work closely with security agencies and local leaders to secure the safe release of those still being held. Education officials called the attack a devastating blow for families and students already coping with the ongoing threat of insurgent violence in the region.
Although no group has claimed responsibility, authorities say the attack bears the hallmarks of militant organizations operating in northeastern Nigeria, including Boko Haram and its breakaway faction, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). The latest kidnapping highlights the persistent security challenges facing schools in the region, where repeated attacks have disrupted education and left many communities living in fear.
