Gunmen attacked a school in Nigeria’s northwest region on Thursday morning, abducting at least 287 students, according to the headteacher.
This incident marks the second mass abduction in the West African nation in less than a week.
Locals informed The Associated Press that the assailants surrounded the government-owned school in Kaduna State’s Kuriga town just as the pupils were about to start the school day.
Earlier reports from authorities stated that more than 100 students were taken hostage in the attack. However, the headteacher informed Kaduna Governor Uba Sani during his visit to the town that the total number of missing students after a headcount was 287.
Abductions of students from schools in northern Nigeria have been a recurring issue, causing significant concern since 2014 when Islamic extremists kidnapped over 200 schoolgirls in Borno state’s Chibok village.
In recent years, such abductions have been concentrated in the northwestern and central regions, where numerous armed groups often target villagers and travelers for large ransoms.
Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna state stated on Thursday that his government is “doing everything possible to ensure the safe return of the abducted pupils and students.”
He also mentioned that a community member who confronted the abductors during the attack was killed. Additionally, Sani stated that the President of Nigeria and the National Security Adviser were aware of the situation, and a Security Committee and a military base would be established in Kuriga to strengthen security in the area.
Kaduna state, bordering the Nigerian capital Abuja to the southwest, has experienced recurring incidents of kidnappings for ransom by bandits and has witnessed several mass abductions in recent years, including in the district where LEA Primary and Secondary School is located.
In 2021, at least 140 students were kidnapped by armed men from a private secondary school. This incident occurred just months after around 20 students from a private university in Chikun’s Kasarami village were abducted by gunmen, five of whom were killed after a ransom deadline was not met, according to family members.
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