According to a report by Punch Newspaper published on Monday, June 29, 2026, the Vice Principal of Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, in Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, Paul Namaske, has shared his account of how suspected terrorists stormed the school during the ongoing National Examinations Council (NECO) examinations and abducted teachers and students before they were rescued by Nigerian Army personnel.
Namaske explained that the attackers invaded the school while candidates were writing their examinations, creating panic among staff and students. During the assault, the gunmen seized two teachers and more than 20 students before forcing them into a nearby forest.
Speaking in a one-minute, 20-second video obtained on Monday, the vice principal recalled that the captives were being taken deeper into the bush when the situation suddenly changed. He said a military aircraft arrived and began hovering over the area, causing the terrorists to become unsettled.
According to him, the aircraft’s presence forced the insurgents to scatter in different directions in an effort to evade possible military action. Moments later, gunfire from advancing Nigerian Army troops echoed through the area, increasing pressure on the fleeing terrorists.
Namaske said the confusion created by the military operation provided an opportunity for the abducted teachers and students to break free from their captors. As the soldiers closed in on the insurgents, the victims managed to escape and were safely recovered by the troops.
Describing the rescue, he said, “Today, June 29, the terrorists took us into the bush. When the military aircraft started hovering above us, the insurgents dispersed. Shortly after, we heard gunshots from the soldiers. The terrorists fled, and we began running for safety until the soldiers rescued us.”
The vice principal credited the swift intervention of the Nigerian Army for ending the ordeal and ensuring the safe rescue of more than 20 abducted teachers and students following the attack on the school in Lassa.