Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, has dispatched a high-powered government delegation to Lassa in Askira/Uba Local Government Area following Monday’s insurgent attack on Government Day Secondary School, Lassa.
The delegation, led by the Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Engr. Lawan Abba Wakilbe, visited the community on Tuesday evening to assess the situation, console affected families, and reassure residents of the government’s commitment to securing the safe return of those missing after the attack.
Other members of the delegation included the Commissioner for Intergovernmental Affairs, Hon. Samaila Satumari; the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Dr. Juliana Bitrus; the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Special Projects, Engr. Emmanuel Yerima; a representative of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Comrade Suleiman Bello Maina; and other senior government officials.
During a meeting with parents of the affected students, Wakilbe conveyed Governor Zulum’s sympathy and assured them that the state government was working closely with security agencies, community leaders and other stakeholders to locate and safely reunite the missing persons with their families.
The delegation also held an emergency stakeholders’ meeting at Government Girls Secondary School, Lassa, attended by education officials, school principals, security representatives and local government authorities.
After the meeting, stakeholders agreed to temporarily close schools in Dille, Lassa and Chul communities as a precautionary security measure.
However, students sitting the ongoing examinations will be relocated to Government Secondary School, Uba, to ensure their education continues without interruption.
The Chairman of Askira/Uba Local Government, Hon. Mada Saidu, presented an official report indicating that 39 persons were affected by the attack, comprising three teachers and 36 students.
According to the report, the 36 missing students include 25 females and 11 males drawn from SS1, SS2 and SS3.
The report did not specify whether the three teachers were among those missing or were otherwise affected by the attack.
The delegation also visited the Emir of Uba, Alhaji Aliyu Ibn Samaila Mamza, to brief the traditional ruler on the government’s response and ongoing efforts to secure the safe return of those still unaccounted for.
The Borno State Government reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening security around schools, supporting affected families and working with relevant authorities to ensure the safe return of all those still missing.
