An unspecified number of students of Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in Askira-Uba Local Government Area of Borno State are feared to have been abducted after suspected members of Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists invaded their school premises in the early hours of Friday.
Mussa is a remote village and shares a border with Sambisa Forest, an enclave and hideout of terrorists.
According to sources, the insurgents stormed the school on motorcycles, barely 10 or 15 minutes after troops left the community.
In a social media post, Mr Solomon Mussa said, “Good morning, beloved. Please pray for the Mussa Boko Haram attack in Mussa village now.
“According to a report coming out from Mussa, school children were affected…”
Meanwhile, the Deputy Speaker of the Borno State House of Assembly, Rt Hon. Abdullahi Askira, confirmed the school invasion by terrorists on Friday.
The Deputy Speaker, who also hails from Askira-Uba Local Government Area, said details are still sketchy at press time.
“Yes, I can confirm to you that some suspected terrorists riding on motorcycles invaded primary and junior secondary schools in Mussa village this morning.
“Information at my disposal was that many of the students fled into the bush, but I don’t have details of those abducted yet.
“It is also disheartening that the incident took place barely some few minutes after troops on patrol left the community; this signifies that the insurgents or the attackers were spying on the movement of troops before they struck,” the Deputy Speaker said.
He, however, promised to give further details as the situation unfolds.
All efforts to get the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Keneth Daso, to comment on the incident proved abortive at press time.
