No fewer than 37 students remain unaccounted for following Monday’s terrorist attack on Government Day Secondary School in Lassa, Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, according to parents of the victims.
The attack occurred while candidates were sitting for the National Examinations Council (NECO) examination, with terrorists storming the school, killing two teachers and abducting an undisclosed number of students.
Parents who spoke with Aljazirah on Tuesday disclosed that the Borno State Government had opened a register to document the names of missing students and other victims affected by the incident.
One of the parents, Mbula Bura, whose 19-year-old daughter was among those abducted, said the number of registered missing persons had reached 37.
He explained that the registration exercise was organised to help authorities account for students who had not returned home after the attack.
“Parents who could not find their children were invited to come and register. I discovered that 37 names have been registered so far as missing.
“My 19-year-old daughter, Esther Mbula, is still missing. She is in SSS2,” he said.
Another parent, Emmanuel Dari, said the attack had left many families devastated as they continued searching for their children.
According to him, his 16-year-old daughter, Lucy Emmanuel, was writing her examination when the terrorists invaded the school.
“My 16-year-old daughter is in SSS2. Her name is Lucy Emmanuel. She was in the classroom when the terrorists took them away. Since yesterday, we have not been able to sleep.
“When I heard about the attack, we were confused. Later, I became happy when I heard about the rescue. However, when I got there, neither my daughter nor many other parents’ children could be found,” he said.
Dari added that officials of the Borno State Government, led by the Commissioner for Education, Lawan Wakilbe, had visited the community to assess the situation and meet with affected families.
“The state Commissioner for Education is currently here. They came to see us and assess the situation,” he added.
A resident of Lassa, Bitrus Milnda, also confirmed that two of his relatives were among those taken away during the attack.
He identified the missing students as Martha Wajau and Abori Ujulu, both of whom are in Senior Secondary School One.
“Two victims, both related to me on my mother’s side, were abducted. Their names are Martha Wajau and Abori Ujulu. They are both in SSS1,” he said.
Efforts to obtain an official update from the Borno State Government were unsuccessful, as the Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Usman Tar, neither answered calls nor responded to messages at the time of filing this report.
Earlier, the Nigerian Army confirmed that troops of Operation Hadin Kai had rescued 10 abducted teachers and students during a search-and-rescue operation launched shortly after the attack.
The Acting Military Information Officer of the North-East Joint Task Force, Operation Hadin Kai, Captain Muhammed Goni, disclosed in a statement that the rescue mission was supported by military aircraft providing intelligence, surveillance and aerial guidance to ground troops.
According to Goni, troops intercepted the terrorists around the Daggu area, where a fierce gun battle led to the successful rescue of 10 victims without injuries.
“Troops of Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) have successfully rescued 10 National Examinations Council (NECO) candidates and teachers abducted during an ISWAP attack on Lassa Community in Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State.
“Immediately upon receipt of the report of the incident, the Theatre Command scrambled both strike and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft from the Air Component of OPHK to support troops mobilised to the area for a coordinated search-and-rescue operation.
“The troops, with support from the air platforms overhead providing guidance, made contact around Daggu and, after the firefight, the operation has so far resulted in the successful rescue of 10 victims, who were unhurt and are currently receiving the necessary care and support, while efforts remain ongoing to rescue the remaining victims and bring the perpetrators to justice,” the statement read.
The Army added that troops inflicted casualties on the fleeing terrorists during the encounter and recovered seven motorcycles used by the attackers.
However, the military also confirmed that one soldier and a member of the Civilian Joint Task Force lost their lives while confronting the terrorists.
“Regrettably, during the intense firefight, one gallant soldier of OPHK and a member of the Civilian Joint Task Force paid the supreme sacrifice in the exchange of fire with the terrorists,” Goni added.
