SUSPECTED Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists have set ablaze a primary school and a secondary school in Kautikari village, Chibok Local Government Area of Borno State, in a fresh attack that has heightened concerns over the safety of schools and communities in the insurgency-ravaged region.
News Point Nigeria reports that the latest assault comes just weeks after pupils of Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in Askira-Uba were abducted and held for almost a month without any trace, underscoring the persistent threat posed by insurgent groups across parts of Borno State.
According to security sources, the attackers stormed Kautikari at about 7 p.m. on Saturday, unleashing fear among residents and forcing many to flee for safety as the terrorists targeted educational facilities in the community.
One of the sources said that although no deaths or injuries had been reported as of the time of filing this report, the invasion triggered panic throughout the village.
“No casualty so far, but residents were forced to flee into the bush for safety,” the source disclosed.
Residents said the terrorists set fire to both the Primary School and the Day Secondary School in the village, destroying structures that serve as critical educational centres for children in the community.
A local resident expressed shock over the destruction, noting that although the village had experienced insurgent attacks in the past, public and private property had largely been spared.
He explained that the terrorists had attacked Kautikari months earlier without destroying any infrastructure, making the latest incident particularly disturbing.
“I wonder why they set ablaze the Primary School and Day Secondary School. Such attacks are unusual,” the resident said.
Kautikari, located in Chibok Local Government Area, is one of several communities in southern Borno that have repeatedly come under attack from insurgent groups over the years. The area gained international attention following the 2014 abduction of schoolgirls from Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok.
The latest attack has further raised fears about the continued targeting of educational institutions by terrorists, despite ongoing military operations aimed at restoring peace and security across the North-East.
Efforts to obtain an official response from the Borno State Police Command were unsuccessful. Calls made to the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Nahum Kenneth Daso, did not go through as his phone was unreachable at the time of filing this report.
