Parents Say 37 Children Still Missing After Borno School Attack

Parents in Lassa community, Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, say 37 children are still missing after terrorists attacked Government Day Secondary School during a National Examinations Council examination.

Vanguard and Punch reported that the parents gave the figure after families were asked to register the names of students they could not find. Vanguard reported that one parent, Mbula Bura, said 37 names had been entered on the missing list, including his 19-year-old daughter.

The attack happened on Monday while candidates were writing their NECO examination. Earlier reports said the attackers killed teachers and abducted an unspecified number of students before troops launched a rescue operation.

NaijaTrend earlier reported the initial school attack here and the rescue of 10 abducted candidates and teachers here.

Vanguard reported that Acting Military Information Officer, North-East Joint Task Force, Operation Hadin Kai, Capt. Muhammed Goni, had earlier said 10 victims were rescued unhurt after troops made contact with the abductors around the Daggu area.

Parents who spoke to the outlets said the latest figure has deepened panic in the community. One parent said families had been unable to sleep since the attack, while another said his daughter was taken from the classroom during the examination.

The new missing-persons figure makes the incident a fresh development in the Borno school attack story, rather than a repeat of the earlier attack or rescue reports.

The reports did not give a final official casualty or abduction tally beyond the parents’ register and earlier military rescue update. For that reason, the missing figure is attributed to the parents who spoke after the register was opened.

Sources: Vanguard, Punch