- Troops, Police Thwart Terrorists’ Bid to Abduct Students in Borno School
- Rescue 46 Students
- Goni said the coordinated response and superior firepower forced the attackers to abandon their mission and flee
Troops of Operation HADIN KAI, supported by personnel of the Nigeria Police Mobile Force (MOPOL), have foiled an attempted mass abduction by suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) militants at a school being used as a temporary student hostel in Monguno, Borno State.
Eko Hot Blog reports that the military, however, confirmed that some students were killed during the attack, which occurred at about 1:30 a.m. on Sunday.
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The attempted raid targeted the Federal Government Girls College (FGGC), Monguno, currently being used by the Borno State Government as temporary accommodation for students of the Federal Polytechnic, Monguno.
In a statement, the Acting Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force North East, Operation HADIN KAI, Captain Mohammed Goni, said the attackers allegedly gained access to the facility with the assistance of suspected collaborators in an attempt to abduct students.
According to him, troops and police personnel immediately engaged the terrorists after they were detected, while a Sector 3 Quick Reaction Force was deployed to reinforce security operatives already at the scene.
Goni said the coordinated response and superior firepower forced the attackers to abandon their mission and flee without abducting any student.
Although parts of the school were damaged during the exchange of gunfire, the security forces successfully prevented the planned abduction.
Following the attack, all 46 students at the facility were evacuated to Kinnasara Barracks in Monguno, where they received medical attention.
The military confirmed that all the rescued students were medically stable and that no student was abducted.
However, Goni disclosed that some students were fatally struck by gunfire during the firefight. He did not state the number of casualties or provide further details on the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
Operation HADIN KAI expressed condolences to the families of the victims and assured residents that efforts were being intensified to protect lives and critical public institutions across the North East.
The military also disclosed that investigations were ongoing to identify and apprehend suspected collaborators who allegedly aided the attackers, while troops and other security agencies had launched a manhunt for the fleeing terrorists.
Goni reaffirmed the military’s commitment to sustaining operations against terrorist groups and ensuring the safety of schools and other critical infrastructure in the region.
