Fresh fears have gripped communities in Borno after suspected Boko Haram insurgents abducted 42 pupils and students during an attack on Government Day Secondary School (GDSS), Mussa, in Askira/Uba Local Government Area of the state.
The incident was disclosed on Saturday by Mohammed Ali Ndume, who said the attackers stormed the community located on the eastern fringe of the Sambisa Forest and seized the children during early morning lessons.
According to the senator, 28 pupils were taken from the primary section of the school, four students abducted from the secondary school, while 10 other children were kidnapped from nearby homes, bringing the total number of victims to 42.
Ndume described the attack as traumatic and devastating for families in the affected community, noting that many parents and guardians had been thrown into fear and uncertainty.
“I am appealing to the military and other security agencies, particularly the ground troops of Operation Hadin Kai, to intensify efforts towards rescuing the abducted schoolchildren,” he said.
The lawmaker lamented that communities across Borno South Senatorial District have continued to suffer repeated attacks despite ongoing military operations in the Northeast.
He also referenced recent attacks on Chibok communities, including Bambatsu and Ngadarma, where several residents, including elderly persons, were reportedly killed by insurgents earlier in the week.
Ndume, a former Chairman of the Senate Committee on Army, urged the Nigerian military to strengthen security operations in vulnerable communities around the Sambisa axis to prevent further attacks on civilians and schools.
The latest abduction has renewed concerns over the safety of schoolchildren in the Northeast, years after the mass kidnapping of schoolgirls in Chibok drew global outrage and attention to the insurgency in the region.
Boko Haram Abducts 42 Schoolchildren in Fresh Borno Attack
