42 Students Abducted in School Attack
42 Students Abducted in School Attack
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - The extremist group Boko Haram is reported to have abducted at least 42 students in an attack in northeastern Nigeria on Friday morning (15/05/2026). The abduction took place at a secondary school located in Borno State.
As reported by CNN Indonesia from Anadolu, the incident was confirmed by Senator Ali Ndume on Saturday (16/05/2026).
The attack targeted a public secondary school in the village of Mussa, Askira-Uba district.
Senator Ndume stated that the incident has caused deep trauma for the parents of the students. The event brought sadness and devastation to the families and guardians affected.
“The abduction at this school is even more horrific because it occurred while these vulnerable and resilient students were focused on their morning lessons,” Ndume said in an official statement, as reported by CNN Indonesia on Sunday (17/05/2026).
Ndume also strongly urged security agencies, especially the Nigerian Army, to immediately intensify emergency rescue operations to free the dozens of students.
Nigeria has long been under the shadow of fear due to attacks by radical groups. The northeastern region of the country is a base for Boko Haram and the ISWAP group affiliated with ISIS.
Since launching an armed insurgency in the early 2000s, Boko Haram’s mass violence has killed tens of thousands since 2009.
The mass abduction of schoolchildren is an old but deadly tactic often used by the group for ransom or propaganda.
The Nigerian government has taken various strategic steps to address this threat, including deploying additional commandos and working with international partners.
As part of global efforts to combat terrorism in 2026, the United States has deployed about 100 military personnel to northern Nigeria since February. The US special forces are tasked with providing tactical training, sharing intelligence, and providing technical support to local troops to curb the surge in attacks by armed groups.