Sixty-four days after dozens of pupils were abducted from Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, anxious families and community leaders continue to call for urgent government intervention to secure their release.
Drivetvnews gathered that the school was attacked on May 15, 2026, when heavily armed terrorists believed to be members of Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) stormed the community and abducted between 40 and 42 pupils.
Residents said the attackers arrived on motorcycles shortly after a routine military patrol had left the area. Panic spread as gunmen opened fire, forcing many pupils to flee into nearby bushes, while dozens of others were captured and taken into the Sambisa Forest.
The assault formed part of a wider attack on communities around the southern axis of Sambisa Forest, where eight people, including a newborn baby, were reportedly killed and 23 local security volunteers sustained injuries.
More than two months after the incident, parents of the missing children say they remain devastated by the prolonged captivity of their loved ones. Community leaders have repeatedly appealed for intensified rescue efforts and greater attention to the plight of the abducted pupils.
Residents also expressed concern over what they described as limited official communication regarding ongoing rescue operations, urging the Federal Government to prioritise the safe return of the children.
The incident has renewed concerns over the safety of schools in Nigeria’s North-East, where attacks on educational institutions have continued despite years of security operations.
Just weeks after the Mussa abduction, another attack reportedly occurred at Government Day Secondary School in Lassa during the National Examinations Council (NECO) examinations, where a teacher was killed and several students were kidnapped.
For many families in Askira/Uba, the prolonged ordeal has revived painful memories of previous mass school abductions, including the 2014 Chibok incident, as they continue to hope for the safe return of their children.
