A teacher has been confirmed dead while many students were abducted after suspected gunmen attacked Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, in Askira/Uba Local Government Area (LGA) of Borno state on Monday June 29, 2026.

The attack, which occurred in the border community between Borno and Adamawa states, has heightened fresh concerns over the safety of schools in Nigeria, coming just weeks after the abduction of dozens of pupils and teachers from schools in Oyo state.

According to available information, the assailants stormed the community on motorcycles before heading directly to the secondary school, where they opened fire, killed a teacher and forcefully took away students from their classrooms.

Attackers strike on market day

The Special Adviser to Adamawa state Governor Ahmadu Fintiri on media and strategy, Solomon Kwamagar, confirmed the incident on Monday morning.

Kwamagar, who hails from Lassa, said the attackers took advantage of the community’s market day, when many people were busy with commercial activities, to carry out the attack.

“Today is Lassa market day. I was informed that they came through the market on motorcycles and went to Government Day Secondary School, Lassa. They shot and killed one teacher and took away all the students who were in their classrooms,” he said.

He noted that residents were caught off guard by the invasion as the attackers operated with little resistance before fleeing with the victims.

Victims yet to be fully accounted for

Kwamagar explained that Lassa is located in Borno state but is predominantly inhabited by the Margi ethnic group, whose population also extends into neighbouring Adamawa state.

He disclosed that although he is an indigene of Lassa, he currently resides in Madagali LGA of Adamawa State.

The governor’s aide said efforts were ongoing to establish the exact number of students and school personnel kidnapped during the attack.

“I’m still making contacts to ascertain the total number of students and teachers who were kidnapped from the school,” he added.

As of the time of filing this report, authorities had yet to provide an official figure for those abducted.

When contacted for confirmation, the spokesperson for the Adamawa State Police Command, SP Suleiman Nguroje, could not be reached as his telephone line was switched off.

Fresh fears over school safety

The latest attack has renewed fears over the security of educational institutions, particularly in communities vulnerable to attacks by armed groups.

Schools across several northern states have repeatedly come under attack in recent years, with hundreds of pupils and students kidnapped for ransom or other purposes.

Security analysts have continued to warn that repeated attacks on schools could discourage enrolment, disrupt learning and worsen the education crisis in affected communities.

Residents have also called on security agencies to intensify surveillance around schools, especially those located in remote and border areas.

Echoes of recent Oyo school abduction

Monday’s incident comes barely weeks after another major school abduction in Oyo State, where gunmen stormed schools in Oriire Local Government Area and abducted dozens of pupils and teachers.

The Oyo incident sparked nationwide outrage and prompted renewed calls for improved security around schools under the Federal Government’s Safe Schools Initiative.

Although security agencies have intensified rescue operations in recent months, the recurring attacks have continued to expose the vulnerability of students and teachers in several parts of the country.

With this recent mass abduction, pressure is mounting on both federal and state authorities to strengthen security around schools, improve intelligence gathering and ensure that those responsible for the attacks are brought to justice. (BluePrint)

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