A rescued vice principal of Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, Borno State, has recounted how a Nigerian military air offensive forced terrorists to abandon their captives, creating the opportunity for teachers and students to escape.

The vice principal, Paul Namaske, said the victims had been abducted by terrorists during an attack on the school while students were sitting for the National Examinations Council (NECO) examinations.

According to him, the situation changed when a Nigerian Air Force aircraft arrived over the area, disrupting the terrorists’ movement and forcing them to scatter.

The ensuing confusion, combined with the advance of ground troops, enabled several captives to flee before they were rescued by soldiers.

“The military aircraft scattered the terrorists and gave us the opportunity to escape,” Namaske said, expressing appreciation to the security forces for their swift response.

The Nigerian Army confirmed that troops of Operation Hadin Kai, supported by air assets, rescued 10 abducted victims during the operation. The military added that one soldier and a member of the Civilian Joint Task Force were killed while confronting the insurgents.

Security forces also recovered seven motorcycles used by the attackers and reported that several terrorists were neutralised during the operation.

The Army said search-and-rescue operations are ongoing as troops continue efforts to secure the release of the remaining abductees. Visit www.jocomms.com for more news.