According to the source, the military commander at the Lassa camp allegedly assembled the soldiers and departed for a patrol in Dille village, about seven kilometres away, less than five minutes before the attack began.
More details have emerged about Monday’s mass abduction of candidates sitting the ongoing National Examinations Council (NECO) practical examinations in Lassa, Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, with a security source alleging that the attackers exploited a suspicious security vacuum after soldiers stationed near the school departed on what residents believe was a questionable patrol.
In an exclusive interview with SaharaReporters, the source, who is a senior security agent, provided a minute-by-minute account of how suspected Boko Haram insurgents disguised as members of the military and the newly created Forest Guard security outfit stormed the town, abducting an unspecified number of candidates and a teacher, while shooting another teacher in the neck.
According to the source, the attack occurred between 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. on Monday, just as students were preparing to begin their NECO practical examination.
“What happened is that this morning, around 8:30, the students were preparing to enter the examination hall for their practical. Today is also the market day in Lassa, so there were many people in town,” the source said.
The Government Day Secondary School, where the attack occurred, is situated less than 500 metres from a military base located inside the Federal Science and Technical College in Lassa.
The source explained that students of the federal technical college had earlier been relocated to Michika in neighbouring Adamawa State because of persistent insecurity, leaving only the secondary school operating in the immediate vicinity of the military camp.
Attackers Allegedly Disguised as Soldiers and Forest Guards
According to the source, villagers reported that the attackers arrived wearing military camouflage and Forest Guard uniforms, giving the impression that they were legitimate security personnel conducting a routine patrol.
“They came wearing Forest Guard uniforms. Some wore military uniforms. They disguised themselves as though they were on a normal patrol,” the source said.
Without initially firing a shot, the armed men reportedly drove directly to the school, surrounded the premises and began taking students away.
“They went straight to the school. They cordoned off the entire school and abducted an unspecified number of students.”