Soldier, CJTF Killed As Troops Rescue 10 Lassa Students

Troops of Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) have successfully rescued ten National Examinations Council (NECO) candidates and teachers abducted during an ISWAP attack on Lassa Community in Askira Uba Local Government Area of Borno State.

The attack, which occurred at about 0900 hours (9:00 a.m.) on Monday, 29 June 2026, targeted the Technical Secondary School while the students were writing exams.

A statement issued to reporters on Monday in Maiduguri by the acting military information officer OPHK, Captain Mohammed Goni, which added that a soldier and a member of the Civilian Joint Taskforce ( CJTF ) paid the supreme price during the operation, said immediately upon receipt of the incident, Theatre Command scrambled both strike and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) aircrafts from the Air Component of OPHK to support troops mobilised to the area for a coordinated search and rescue operation.

He said the troops, with support from the air platforms overhead, made contact around DAGGU. After the firefight, the operation has so far resulted in the successful rescue of ten victims, who were unhurt and are currently receiving the necessary care and support. At the same time, efforts remain ongoing to rescue the remaining victim and bring the perpetrators to justice.

Goni added that during the contact, troops out-manoeuvred the fleeing terrorists, inflicting casualties on them and capturing seven of their motorcycles,  significantly disrupting their escape.

“Regrettably, during the intense firefight, one gallant soldier of OPHK and a member of the Civilian Joint Task Force made the supreme sacrifice during the intense exchange of fire with the terrorists.

“Their courage, selflessness and unwavering commitment exemplify the collective resolve of security forces and local volunteers who continue to risk their lives daily to protect innocent citizens and restore peace across the North East,” the OPHK Spokesman added.

Goni said in collaboration with other security agencies and relevant stakeholders, troops have intensified operations and sustained pressure on the terrorist elements responsible for the attack.

He said security measures across the affected area have also been reinforced to protect vulnerable communities, safeguard schools and prevent any recurrence, adding that the incident further underscores the desperation of terrorist groups who, faced with sustained pressure from ongoing military operations, have resorted to attacking soft targets and vulnerable members of society in a futile attempt to sustain their campaign of terror.

Goni, however, said such cowardly acts will neither deter OPHK’s resolve nor diminish its commitment to dismantling terrorist networks and restoring lasting peace and security across the North East.

“Operation HADIN KAI remains steadfast in its mandate to protect civilians, safeguard critical national infrastructure, and create a secure environment for educational activities and other essential services to thrive.

” Members of the public are encouraged to remain vigilant and continue to provide timely and credible information to security agencies to facilitate prompt operational response.

” The public is also urged to disregard unverified reports and misinformation relating to this incident and rely only on updates issued through official channels, as ongoing operations may necessitate further verified updates,” he further stated.

LEADERSHIP had reported that barely 47 days after the Mussa primary and Junior Secondary School abduction of 42 pupils, the Boko Haram terrorists abducted another group of schoolchildren who were sitting for the NECO Examination at Lassa, in the Askira-Uba local government area of Borno State.

The terrorists attacked the school on Monday morning while students were taking the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) organised by the National Examinations Council (NECO), and in JSS1 and JSS2 were in their classes.

Earlier, confirming the development, the Borno State Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Usman Tar, said efforts were ongoing to rescue the remaining abductees.

“For now, seven of them have been rescued. We cannot confirm their gender yet. Assessment is still ongoing,” he said

“We have sent a delegation to the community to assess the situation and build confidence in the minds of the residents,” Tar added.

Corroborating Tar, the Borno South Youth Alliance (BOSYA), in conjunction with Operation Silhu Da Zaman Lafiya (OSL), has commended the efforts of the gallant and determined Yan banga & Vigilante in Askira Uba, Lassa ward, for swiftly chasing after and rescuing 6 women and 1 male student from the hands of the captors who attacked Lassa ward community on 29 June 2026, killing two teachers and abducting students and women.

In a statement on Monday, the President of BOSYA, Samila Kaigama, commended the efforts and said they expect the state and federal governments to do the same and rescue the remaining abductees quickly.

A parent, whose daughter was among the abductees, Mbula Malum, in a telephone conversation with LEADERSHIP, said the terrorists stormed the school in the early hours of Monday when students were writing the NECO examination, while others in SS1 and SS2 were having classes.

He added that some of the residents of Lassa who were in their farmlands when the terrorists invaded the community said they arrived with over 48 motorcycles, wearing military uniforms and shooting sporadically before heading to the school.

Malum said he was in the Lassa market to take medication for an ailment when they heard several gunshots, adding that the situation forced everyone to desert the market after hearing that the terrorists headed to the Lassa Day Secondary School.

On arrival, he said the school was deserted too and on inquiry, he discovered that his 19- year old daughter in JSS2  was among the abductees.

He added that the terrorists killed two teachers, saying that one was shot dead in the school, while the second teacher, who sustained a gunshot injury, later died.

” The terrorists killed two teachers and abducted an unspecified number of students, including those writing NECO and those in JSS1 and JSS2, who were in their classes”, he said.

Malum appealed to the security agencies, the federal government and the State government to expedite action towards the recovery of the students and other abductees since they are still within reach.