Borno youths chase away govt delegation over abducted students

Tension gripped Lassa community in Borno State, Nigeria, on Tuesday as angry youths turned away a state government delegation. The delegation, led by the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Abba Wakilbe, had arrived to offer sympathy following the abduction of students from Government Day Secondary School by suspected Boko Haram terrorists.

However, their visit was met with hostility. As the commissioner attempted to address residents at the school, youths and relatives of the abducted students began chanting, "We don't want talk. Go and bring back our children." Their anger was palpable, and efforts to calm the crowd proved futile. Some youths explicitly accused the government of "playing politics with our children."

“

We don’t want talk. Go and bring back our children.

The situation escalated, forcing the commissioner and his delegation to retreat from the community. The PUNCH had previously reported that the attack occurred around 9 am on Monday, during the National Examinations Council examination. Two teachers were killed, and an unspecified number of students were abducted. The Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Usman Tar, confirmed the attack and stated that security agencies were actively working on the rescue operation.

While the exact number of abducted students remains unconfirmed by officials, earlier reports indicated that at least 37 students were still unaccounted for after the attack. The youths' forceful rejection of the government's visit highlights the deep frustration and desperation felt by the community in the face of ongoing insecurity and the perceived inaction or political maneuvering surrounding the crisis.

“

Don’t play politics with our children.