Nigeria senator says 42 students abducted in Boko Haram school attack

Attack on Borno school

Senator Ali Ndume, who represents Borno South in the National Assembly, said on Saturday that at least 42 students were abducted during an assault on a government school in the Askira-Uba area. The attack occurred on May 15 in Mussa village when armed assailants stormed the facility during early morning classes, according to Business Day Nigeria.

The incident has left many parents and guardians devastated and traumatized, Ndume noted. "The school abduction is more terrifying because it happened when poor and resilient students were engaged in their early morning classes," he said in a statement.

Appeal for military action

Ndume appealed directly to security agencies, particularly the Nigerian Army, to intensify efforts to secure the release of the abducted students, emphasizing the need for swift military intervention. Families across the region remain in anguish as authorities scramble to locate the missing children.

Insurgency context

Nigeria has faced persistent attacks by armed groups including Boko Haram and the ISIS-affiliated ISWAP across various regions. Boko Haram has carried out attacks since the early 2000s, with tens of thousands killed in mass violence since 2009. In February, the United States deployed approximately 100 military personnel to northern Nigeria to provide training, intelligence sharing and technical support to local forces.