BREAKING: Gunmen Kill Teacher, Abduct Scores of Students in Borno School Attack

Lassa, Borno State – In a brazen daylight assault on Monday, suspected Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists attacked Government Day Secondary School in Lassa, Askira/Uba Local Government Area, killing a teacher and abducting an unspecified number of students who were writing the National Examinations Council (NECO) Senior School Certificate Examination.

The attackers reportedly stormed the school at about 9 a.m., arriving on motorcycles through the busy weekly market in the border community near Adamawa State. They fired sporadically into the air, causing pandemonium among students, teachers, and residents before whisking away an unknown number of candidates into the surrounding bush. A teacher was confirmed dead during the assault, while another sustained gunshot injuries. Some unconfirmed reports from residents claimed two teachers and one female student may have been killed.

The Borno State Police Command confirmed the incident, stating that security operatives confronted the attackers to prevent a larger-scale abduction. According to police sources, an unspecified number of Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists attacked the secondary school and shot sporadically into the air. During the attack, an unspecified number of students were abducted, while some are still missing. The Police Commissioner has deployed the Area Commander in Askira/Uba, who is currently coordinating a search-and-rescue operation with military personnel and the Civilian Joint Task Force combing the surrounding forests. The command could not immediately confirm reports of fatalities among the victims.

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Residents reported that the attackers wore military and forest guard uniforms and passed through a military checkpoint without detection. One eyewitness claimed that Nigerian military troops stationed in the area had left on a patrol to the nearby town of Uba, approximately 16 kilometers away, just before the insurgents struck. “The soldiers were not around when the terrorists invaded. They came in large numbers, firing sporadically and causing panic everywhere. They took away students writing NECO and their teachers,” a resident who fled the scene said. Lassa, though in Borno State, is predominantly inhabited by the Margi people, who are found in both Borno and Adamawa states. The town’s proximity to the Adamawa border has historically made it vulnerable to cross-border attacks.

The attack is the latest in a series of mass abductions targeting schools in Nigeria’s troubled North-East region. Since the infamous abduction of 276 Chibok schoolgirls in 2014, the mass kidnapping of students has become a recurring pattern, with over 1,680 students abducted across Nigeria over the years. Just last month, suspected Boko Haram terrorists attacked Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in Askira/Uba Local Government Area, abducting 42 students and pupils. That incident included four secondary school students, 28 primary school pupils, and 10 children abducted from their homes.

Terrorist groups such as Boko Haram and ISWAP have increasingly used mass abductions to assert dominance over the government and local communities. While Boko Haram primarily employs abductions as a tool of terror and intimidation, groups like ISWAP leverage kidnappings for strategic objectives, including generating revenue through ransom demands and bolstering their influence and power. For criminal groups, mass school abductions have become a commercialized industry—a lucrative, low-risk crime amid Nigeria’s multifaceted economic crisis. Perpetrators exploit weak state capacity and cross-border safe havens to abduct students and teachers for ransom.

As of press time, neither the Borno nor Adamawa State governments had released official statements on the attack, and no group had claimed responsibility. Efforts to ascertain the exact number of students and teachers abducted continue as security forces intensify search operations in the surrounding forests.

BREAKING: Gunmen Kill Teacher, Abduct Scores of Students in Borno School Attack

FCCPC Warns Petrol Marketers Against Exploitative Pricing, Threatens Sanctions

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has issued a stern warning to petroleum marketers across the country, cautioning them against exploitative pricing of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly known as petrol, and vowing to sanction operators found engaging in unfair market practices.

The Commission expressed concern over the continued high retail price of petrol despite recent improvements in global crude oil prices and local supply conditions, insisting that consumers should begin to benefit from changing market realities.

The warning comes amid growing public dissatisfaction over the cost of fuel, which has remained significantly high months after international oil prices stabilised and supply chain disruptions eased.

According to the FCCPC, the sharp increase in petrol prices witnessed earlier this year was largely driven by rising crude oil prices triggered by geopolitical tensions in the Gulf region between April and May. During the period, pump prices of petrol surged to between ₦1,350 and ₦1,500 per litre in many parts of Nigeria, while diesel prices climbed to almost ₦2,000 per litre.

The Commission recalled that before the market disruptions, petrol sold for between ₦800 and ₦900 per litre in February. However, despite relative stability returning to the international oil market and improvements in domestic supply, the average retail price of petrol has remained around ₦1,200 per litre nationwide.

The FCCPC noted that current pricing by some local refineries suggests there should be greater room for downward adjustments in retail pump prices. According to the Commission, several domestic refiners are presently selling petrol at gantry prices ranging between ₦1,025 and ₦1,075 per litre, a development that should ordinarily encourage more competitive pricing among marketers.

While acknowledging that the pricing of petroleum products is influenced by multiple economic variables, including foreign exchange rates, transportation costs, financing expenses, refining costs and distribution logistics, the Commission maintained that these factors do not justify arbitrary or exploitative pricing.

It stressed that the deregulation and liberalisation of Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector do not grant marketers unrestricted freedom to impose excessive prices on consumers.

Speaking on behalf of the Commission, Mr. Bello emphasised that operators in the downstream petroleum industry remain bound by the provisions of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, regardless of the liberalised nature of the market.

He said market liberalisation must go hand in hand with fair competition and responsible business conduct, warning that the Commission would not hesitate to investigate any credible allegation of anti-competitive practices or consumer exploitation.

According to him, “Market liberalisation does not diminish businesses’ obligations to compete fairly or consumers’ right to fair treatment. Where credible evidence indicates conduct that undermines competition, exploits consumers or otherwise contravenes the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, the Commission will investigate and take appropriate enforcement action.”

The FCCPC further warned that any evidence of price fixing, collusion among marketers, cartel behaviour or other anti-competitive agreements designed to keep fuel prices artificially high would attract severe regulatory sanctions.

The Commission also called on Nigerians to play an active role in protecting consumer rights by reporting suspicious pricing patterns, misleading price claims and other unfair market practices through its official complaint channels.

Industry observers believe the Commission’s intervention could increase regulatory scrutiny in the downstream petroleum sector, particularly as Nigerians continue to grapple with the rising cost of living and demand greater transparency in fuel pricing.

The FCCPC reiterated its commitment to promoting fair competition, protecting consumers from exploitation and ensuring that the benefits of market liberalisation are reflected in competitive prices rather than excessive profit-taking at the expense of ordinary Nigerians.

FCCPC Warns Petrol Marketers Against Exploitative Pricing, Threatens Sanctions

300 CSOs Mobilise Against Ex-FUOYE VC’s Ambassadorial Nomination Over Sexual Harassment Allegations

Pressure is mounting on the Senate to halt the ambassadorial nomination of former Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Prof. Abayomi Sunday Fasina, as more than 300 civil society organisations, backed by prominent rights advocates, have petitioned lawmakers to reject his confirmation over unresolved sexual harassment and abuse of office allegations currently before the courts.

The coalition, which includes former Minister of Education Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Nigeria, Yiaga Africa, Bring Back Our Girls, Enough is Enough (EiE) Nigeria, Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC), Women Aid Collective (WACOL), Project Alert on Violence Against Women, Stand to End Rape (STER), Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ), National Council of Women Societies (NCWS), Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA), Women at Risk International Foundation (WARIF), Women Consortium of Nigeria (WOCON), Women Environmental Programme (WEP), Baobab for Women’s Human Rights, Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) and several others, urged the Senate to suspend Fasina’s confirmation until all pending criminal and civil cases against him are concluded.

In a petition dated June 25, 2026, signed by the Co-convener of Womanifesto, Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, the coalition argued that while every citizen enjoys the constitutional presumption of innocence, ambassadorial appointments demand individuals of unquestionable integrity because they represent Nigeria’s image and values abroad.

The petition was addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio through the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Senator Abubakar Sani Bello, ahead of the screening of ambassadorial nominees.

Copies were also forwarded to the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu (SAN), and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu.

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However, a group known as the FUOYE Progressives, comprising students, alumni and staff members of the university, dismissed the campaign against Fasina, describing it as a politically motivated attempt to derail his nomination.

The group’s spokesperson, Dr. Kehinde Alao, insisted that allegations of sexual harassment and administrative misconduct against the former vice-chancellor had been investigated by the police and two successive FUOYE Governing Councils, both of which reportedly cleared him of wrongdoing.

But the coalition maintained that unresolved allegations bordering on sexual harassment, abuse of office, workplace victimisation, intimidation, human rights violations and retaliatory conduct make Fasina unsuitable for a diplomatic appointment.

“It is trite that an ambassador serves as a representative of a nation’s identity and values. Given this important role, any candidate for an ambassadorial position must embody the highest standards of integrity and impeccable conduct,” the petition stated.

The organisations warned that confirming a nominee facing unresolved criminal and civil proceedings could expose Nigeria to international embarrassment and weaken public confidence in the country’s institutions.

They alleged that one of the sexual harassment claims is backed by a 37-minute audio recording currently forming part of evidence before the National Industrial Court.

Fasina has consistently denied the allegations.

During the controversy that trailed the allegations while serving as Vice-Chancellor, he maintained that he never sexually harassed the complainant and challenged the actions of the ICPC in court.

In April 2025, he secured an interim order from the Federal High Court in Lagos restraining the anti-graft agency from arresting or taking further action against him pending the determination of his suit challenging the investigation.

According to the petitioners, the ICPC later instituted criminal proceedings against Fasina, while separate civil suits involving allegations of sexual harassment and workplace victimisation are pending before the National Industrial Court in Abuja and Ikoyi.

The coalition also cited the judgment in Akingbe v. FUOYE (NICN/AK/58/2018), in which the National Industrial Court held that the university under Fasina’s administration violated the claimant’s right to fair hearing after accusing him of self-plagiarism without proof, awarding N40 million in damages against the institution.

The petitioners argued that the Senate’s constitutional duty extends beyond confirming nominees’ qualifications to assessing their integrity, character, judgment and public credibility.

“The Senate’s constitutional role in the confirmation process is not limited to verifying formal eligibility. It extends to assessing whether a nominee possesses the integrity, character, judgment and public standing necessary to discharge the responsibilities of the office,” the petition added.

The coalition warned that confirming Fasina while criminal proceedings initiated by the ICPC remain unresolved could undermine confidence in Nigeria’s anti-corruption institutions and send the wrong signal about the country’s commitment to tackling sexual harassment, workplace abuse and gender-based violence.

It urged the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs to reject the nomination until all pending legal proceedings have been finally determined.

“The issue before this Committee concerns public confidence in the rule of law. It concerns the credibility of Nigeria’s commitment to accountability, human rights, dignity, gender equality and institutional integrity.

“For these reasons, we respectfully urge the Committee to reject the confirmation of Professor Abayomi Sunday Fasina pending the final determination of all proceedings presently before competent courts,” the petition concluded.

300 CSOs Mobilise Against Ex-FUOYE VC’s Ambassadorial Nomination Over Sexual Harassment Allegations