NECO Exams Disrupted as Gunmen Attack Borno School, Abduct Students — Amnesty International
By Our Reporter
Human rights organization, Amnesty International Nigeria, has condemned the attack on Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, in Askira Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, where armed men reportedly disrupted ongoing National Examinations Council (NECO) examinations.
According to Amnesty International, the attackers abducted an unspecified number of students during the assault, while two teachers and one student were killed.
The organization described the incident as a disturbing reminder of the worsening insecurity facing schools across northern Nigeria, stressing that schools must remain safe spaces for learning.
“Schools should be places of safety, and no child should have to choose between education and survival,” Amnesty International stated, warning that the abducted children are at serious risk of harm.
Amnesty International revealed that from 2023 to date, it has documented at least 13 major school abductions across the country, describing the trend as unacceptable and a reflection of the failure of government at all levels to adequately protect citizens.
The organization emphasized that the protection of children’s lives must remain a top priority, noting that the Nigerian government has a responsibility to ensure that the education sector is shielded from attacks by armed groups operating across northern Nigeria.
It further described the attack on Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, as a gross violation of international humanitarian law and an assault on the fundamental right to education.
According to the rights group, repeated abductions and violent attacks on schools continue to threaten access to education for thousands of children, particularly in northern Nigeria where insecurity has escalated.
Amnesty warned that the persistent targeting of schools by armed groups could significantly reduce school enrollment and worsen the education crisis in already vulnerable communities.
