Gunmen Kidnap Dozens of School Pupils in Northeast Nigeria

Gunmen kidnapped dozens of school pupils in Nigeria’s northeastern state during classes on Friday, residents told Reuters and AFP. m. local time while classes were underway. They took several students with them after arriving on motorcycles, according to witnesses.

Ubaidallah Hasaan, who lives near the school, told Reuters that the gunmen seized the pupils during the raid. A teacher at the school said that despite some students escaping into the bushes, many were taken away. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, which bore the hallmarks of tactics long used by Boko Haram fighters.

The community of Mussa lies near the Sambisa Forest, a longstanding stronghold of the group that has waged violence in northeast Nigeria for more than a decade.

Mass kidnappings have become a common tactic for both rebel groups and criminal gangs seeking quick ransom payments, especially in rural areas outside strong government control. Africa’s most populous country has battled a 17-year armed rebellion during which abductions of students have featured prominently.

The latest incident echoes the 2014 kidnapping of hundreds of schoolgirls in Chibok that drew global attention. Borno and neighboring states have seen repeated attacks on schools and communities despite ongoing military operations. A local lawmaker called the raid heartbreaking and urged authorities to act swiftly.

The teacher who spoke to Reuters described the attackers’ arrival on motorcycles and the partial escape of some pupils into nearby vegetation.