Exam day terror: Boko Haram storms Borno town, kills teacher, abducts NECO students

Suspected Boko Haram terrorists stormed Lassa town in Borno State on Monday, abducting an unspecified number of students sitting NECO examinations and several teachers, killing at least one teacher in an attack that occurred while military troops had reportedly left the area on patrol.

Suspected Boko Haram insurgents swept through Lassa town in Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State on Monday, targeting a community mid-examination in one of the most chilling attacks the region has seen in recent memory. According to eyewitnesses who spoke to SaharaReporters, the heavily armed terrorists — dressed in military camouflage and riding motorcycles — stormed the town on a busy market day, firing sporadically and snatching NECO examination candidates and their teachers before disappearing into the unknown.

At least one teacher was shot dead during the assault. The full casualty figure remains unclear as residents continue searching desperately for missing persons.

The timing of the attack has fuelled outrage in the community — and some very pointed questions about military deployment.

“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,” an eyewitness told SaharaReporters.

Residents allege that troops stationed in Lassa had relocated to nearby Uba — approximately 16 kilometres away — on patrol when the insurgents struck. The window was exploited with devastating efficiency.

When SaharaReporters contacted the Borno State Police Command spokesperson, ASP Nahum Kenneth Daso, for comment, the response was less than reassuring. “I will call you back,” he said, explaining he was in a meeting and that police were “gathering evidence.”

Students writing national examinations. A teacher shot dead. An entire community thrown into chaos. And the official response? Evidence is being gathered.

The attack on Lassa is the latest in a series of deadly raids hammering communities across southern Borno, a region that continues to bleed despite repeated military offensives against insurgent groups. For the families now searching for missing children and colleagues, promises of operational effectiveness ring painfully hollow.

Nigeria’s northeast is still burning — and Monday proved that nowhere, not even an examination hall, is safe.