Suspected Boko Haram insurgents have abducted an unspecified number of students from Government Day Secondary School in Lassa, Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State.
The attack occurred on Monday morning while students were sitting for the National Examinations Council (NECO) Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE).
At least one teacher was killed during the attack, while another sustained injuries. Witnesses also said several teachers were taken away by the attackers, although authorities have yet to confirm the number of those abducted.
Residents said the gunmen, who were dressed in military camouflage and arrived on motorcycles, invaded the town on a busy market day, firing sporadically and causing panic before abducting students and teachers.
Eyewitnesses alleged that soldiers stationed in the area had left for a patrol in nearby Uba, about 16 kilometres from Lassa, before the attackers struck.
"The soldiers were not around when the terrorists invaded. They came in large numbers, firing sporadically and causing panic everywhere. They took away students writing NECO and their teachers," one resident said.
The spokesperson for the Borno State Police Command, Nahum Daso, earlier confirmed the attack, saying some students were still missing. In a later update, he said the command was gathering information on the incident.
Authorities have not released the exact number of students or teachers abducted, while security agencies have launched efforts to locate the victims.
The latest attack highlights the persistent security challenges facing parts of southern Borno, where communities continue to experience deadly raids despite ongoing military operations.
