Parents Raise Alarm as 37 NECO Candidates Remain Missing After Borno School Attack

Fresh concerns have emerged over the fate of students abducted during Monday’s terrorist attack on Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, in Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, as parents say 37 National Examinations Council (NECO) candidates and a school staff member remain missing despite ongoing rescue efforts.

The attack occurred while students were sitting for the 2026 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) conducted by NECO, forcing candidates and teachers to flee as heavily armed terrorists stormed the school.

The incident has once again highlighted the persistent security challenges facing schools in Nigeria’s North-East and renewed calls for stronger protection of students and educational institutions.

According to military authorities, troops of Operation Hadin Kai, supported by the Air Component and members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), responded swiftly after receiving a distress call and pursued the attackers into nearby communities.

The security operation led to the rescue of 10 abducted students and one teacher, while several terrorists were reportedly engaged during the pursuit. However, the operation came at a cost, with one soldier and a member of the Civilian Joint Task Force losing their lives.

Despite the initial rescue, many families say they are still searching for their children.

To account for those yet to return home, the Borno State Government opened a register for parents to report missing students and staff.

One of the affected parents, Mbula Bura, whose 19-year-old daughter Esther remains missing, said the register had recorded 37 missing persons, raising fears that dozens of students are still in captivity.

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“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 daughter is still missing,” he said.

Providing an official update during a visit to the affected community, Borno State Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Lawan Abba Wakilbe, confirmed that 36 students and one staff member remain in captivity.

According to the commissioner, those still missing include 25 female students, 11 male students and one staff member, while eight victims, including the school’s vice principal, have been rescued and reunited with their families.

Wakilbe assured residents that the state government was working closely with the military and other security agencies to secure the safe release of those still in captivity.

The commissioner, who led a government delegation to Lassa, also met with parents, school officials, traditional rulers and community leaders to assess the situation and reassure families that rescue efforts remain ongoing.

However, frustration boiled over during the visit as some youths staged protests, demanding faster action from security agencies and expressing concern over the recurring attacks on schools and communities in the area.

Earlier, the spokesperson for the Borno State Police Command, Nahum Daso, confirmed the attack, saying suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters invaded the school while students were writing their examinations before abducting an unspecified number of candidates.

Security agencies immediately launched a joint search-and-rescue operation, combing nearby forests and surrounding communities in an effort to locate the victims.

Although no group has formally claimed responsibility for the attack, security experts say the modus operandi resembles previous attacks carried out by ISWAP and Boko Haram, insurgent groups that have repeatedly targeted schools, students and rural communities across Borno State.

The latest abduction has revived painful memories of previous mass school kidnappings in Nigeria’s North-East, including the 2014 Chibok schoolgirls abduction, and underscores the continuing threats faced by schools in conflict-affected communities.

Education stakeholders and humanitarian organisations have renewed calls for the full implementation of Nigeria’s Safe Schools Initiative, urging governments at all levels to strengthen security around schools, especially during national examinations, and improve intelligence gathering to prevent future attacks.

The incident has also raised concerns about the psychological impact on students preparing for national examinations, with education advocates warning that repeated attacks could discourage school attendance and undermine learning outcomes across the region.

As rescue operations continue, anxious parents have appealed to the Federal Government, the Borno State Government and security agencies not to relent until every missing student and staff member is safely reunited with their families.

Parents Raise Alarm as 37 NECO Candidates Remain Missing After Borno School Attack