Gunmen Invade Borno Secondary School, Abduct Students During NECO Examination

Gunmen Invade Borno Secondary School, Abduct Students During NECO Examination Suspected gunmen have stormed a secondary school in Borno State, abducting an unspecified number of students while the National Examinations Council NECO Senior School Certificate Examination was ongoing, in a fresh attack that has sparked panic and renewed concern over school security in northern Nigeria. The attackers reportedly invaded the school in the morning, disrupting the examination process and whisking away several candidates into nearby bushes before security forces could respond.A teacher was said to have been killed during the assault, while another sustained injuries. According to initial reports, the gunmen arrived at the school premises while students were sitting for their NECO examinations, forcing candidates and staff to flee in different directions as gunfire rang out across the compound. Eyewitness accounts suggest the attackers operated for several minutes before escaping with abducted students, leaving behind a scene of confusion, scattered exam materials, and abandoned classrooms. Authorities have not yet confirmed the exact number of students taken, as search-and-rescue operations continue in surrounding communities and forested areas. Security agencies, including police and military units, have been deployed to track the kidnappers and rescue the abducted students. The area has been cordoned off as surveillance and ground searches intensify. Officials say efforts are ongoing to determine the identities of the victims and establish whether all abducted students were candidates sitting for the national examination. The incident has thrown surrounding communities into fear, with parents rushing to schools to confirm the safety of their children as news of the attack spread rapidly. Borno State, which has faced repeated insurgency-related violence over the years, continues to experience sporadic attacks targeting civilians, schools, and rural settlements. Nigeria has witnessed repeated mass abductions in educational institutions over the past decade, particularly in the northern region, where armed groups frequently target schools for ransom or political leverage.

The latest attack adds to growing concerns about the safety of students taking national examinations in conflict-affected areas.

Authorities are expected to release further details as investigations progress.