Gunmen storm school in Uba LGA, seize children in broad daylight; residents accuse nearby troops of failing to intervene

Suspected Boko Haram terrorists have abducted several pupils from Mussa Askira Primary and Junior Secondary School in Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, in a brazen Friday morning attack that has left the community in shock.

According to eyewitness accounts, the insurgents arrived on motorcycles at about 9:00 a.m. and operated inside the school premises for several minutes without resistance. During the raid, the attackers reportedly rounded up pupils and fled the scene with an unspecified number of children.

Residents claim that soldiers stationed nearby withdrew toward surrounding hills as the incident unfolded, rather than confronting the attackers. Operational military vehicles were said to have remained in the vicinity throughout the attack.

A community member described the scene as chaotic, noting that the gunmen moved freely before escaping with the abducted pupils. While the exact number of victims remains unclear, multiple sources indicate that many children are still unaccounted for.

The latest abduction adds to a troubling pattern of school attacks in Nigeria’s northeast, where armed groups have repeatedly targeted students in recent years.

Parents and guardians are now anxiously awaiting updates on the fate of their children, as well as a coordinated response from authorities.

As of the time of filing this report, security agencies have yet to issue a detailed statement on the incident or outline measures being taken to rescue the victims and prevent further attacks. Meanwhile, residents continue to raise concerns over the safety of schools and the effectiveness of security deployments in the region.