Gunmen Kidnap More Than 280 Pupils From a School in Nigeria

In a hurry? Here’s a quick summary…

• Gunmen raided a school in northwest Nigeria, kidnapping over 280 pupils in one of the country’s largest mass abductions.
• The incident highlights the ongoing threat posed by criminal gangs targeting educational institutions, with local authorities in Kaduna State working to determine the exact number of abducted children.

Gunmen Kidnap More Than 280 Pupils From Nigerian School

Gunmen launched a brazen raid on a school in northwest Nigeria, resulting in the abduction of over 280 pupils, marking one of the country’s largest mass kidnappings. 

Such incidents, fueled by criminal gangs seeking ransom, have become distressingly common in Africa’s most populous nation, with educational institutions frequently targeted, particularly in the northwest, although such attacks have somewhat diminished of late.

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While local government officials in Kaduna State confirmed the kidnapping at Kuriga school, they refrained from providing exact figures, citing ongoing efforts to ascertain the precise number of abducted children.

According to Sani Abdullahi, a teacher at GSS Kuriga school, the assailants’ gunfire prompted staff to take swift action, allowing many students to escape. 

However, the task of determining the exact count of missing children commenced thereafter, with 187 students unaccounted for in GSS Kuriga and 125 missing from the primary school, although 25 managed to return.

A local resident, Muhammad Adam, indicated that the actual number of abducted children exceeded initial estimates, surpassing 280 after a meticulous tally.

Despite the lack of precise figures from local officials and law enforcement, Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani emphasized a commitment to ensuring the safe return of all abducted children, pledging that “no child will be left behind.”

The surge in such incidents underscores the persistent threat posed by criminal elements, known as bandits, who have repeatedly targeted schools, primarily in rural areas of northwestern Nigeria. 

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Amidst these challenges, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has prioritized addressing insecurity, yet Nigeria’s armed forces find themselves engaged on multiple fronts, including combating a longstanding jihadist insurgency in the northeast.

This abduction follows closely on the heels of another mass kidnapping targeting women and children in a camp for displaced persons in the northeast, underscoring the pervasive nature of insecurity plaguing various regions of Nigeria.