Suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists have reportedly abducted 42 pupils and students following a deadly attack on a school in Askira-Uba Local Government Area of Borno State.
The attack occurred on Friday, May 15, 2026, when armed insurgents invaded Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in the early hours of the morning, causing panic as students and residents fled for safety.
Senator Ali Ndume, who confirmed the incident, disclosed that 28 pupils were abducted from the primary section, four students from the Government Day Secondary School, while 10 other children were reportedly taken from nearby homes, bringing the total number of abducted victims to 42.
Ndume described the attack as heartbreaking and appealed to troops of Operation HADIN KAI and other security agencies to intensify rescue efforts to ensure the safe return of the victims.
Local residents said the terrorists stormed the community on motorcycles and opened attacks around the school area while classes were ongoing. Several students reportedly escaped into nearby bushes during the chaos, while many others remain unaccounted for.
Authorities are still carrying out headcount rescue operations as fears continue to grow over the safety of the abducted children.
The latest attack has once again raised concerns over worsening insecurity in northeastern Nigeria and the recurring targeting of schools by terrorist groups operating around the Sambisa Forest axis.
