The Borno State Government has ordered the temporary closure of schools in Dille, Lassa and Chul communities following the abduction of students during Monday’s attack on Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, in Askira/Uba Local Government Area.
The decision was announced on Tuesday by the spokesperson to Governor Babagana Umara Zulum, Dauda Iliya, who said the measure was taken after an emergency stakeholders’ meeting held during the visit of a high-level government delegation to the affected community.
According to Iliya, preliminary reports presented at the meeting revealed that 36 students remain unaccounted for following the attack.
Governor Zulum had earlier directed a high-powered delegation to Lassa to assess the situation, sympathise with affected families and coordinate the government’s response to the incident.
The delegation was led by the Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Lawan Abba Wakilbe.
During the visit, the delegation met with parents and relatives of the missing students, many of whom expressed anxiety over the safety and whereabouts of their children.
Speaking on behalf of the governor, Wakilbe assured the families that the state government was working closely with security agencies, community leaders and other relevant stakeholders to secure the safe rescue of the abducted students and teachers.
“Governor Zulum sympathises with the affected families and has directed that every necessary effort be made to ensure the safe return of the missing students and staff,” Iliya said.
Following consultations with community stakeholders, authorities resolved to temporarily shut down schools in Dille, Lassa and Chul as a precautionary measure aimed at protecting students and school personnel.
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Despite the closures, the state government said candidates sitting for the ongoing examinations would be relocated to Government Secondary School, Uba, to ensure their academic activities continue without interruption.
The Chairman of Askira/Uba Local Government Area, Mada Saidu, presented an updated report showing that 39 people were affected by the attack, comprising 36 students and three teachers.
According to the report, the missing students include 25 female and 11 male students drawn from Senior Secondary School One (SS1), Senior Secondary School Two (SS2) and Senior Secondary School Three (SS3).
Security agencies are continuing search-and-rescue operations in the area as efforts intensify to locate and safely recover the abducted victims.