Students abducted by militants from school in Nigeria

ABUJA: Suspected militants abducted an unspecified number of students from a primary and junior secondary school in Nigeria’s conflict-hit northeastern Borno state on Friday, residents said.

The attack took place at Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in Askira-Uba Local Government Area at about 9am while classes were under way, according to Ubaidallah Hasaan, a resident who lives near the school.

Hasaan said gunmen entered the school during school hours and took away several students.

Attack during school hours

A teacher at the school told Reuters that the attackers arrived on motorcycles. The teacher said some pupils managed to flee into nearby bushes during the assault, but many others were taken away.

Parents and villagers in Askira Uba estimated that between 35 and 43 pupils were abducted from the primary school.

The exact number of students taken was not immediately clear, and no group had claimed responsibility for the abduction.

Borno, in northeastern Nigeria, has long been affected by insurgent violence, and the latest incident took place in an area described in the report as ravaged by insurgency.

The school targeted in the attack serves both primary and junior secondary students. Residents said the gunmen struck in the morning as lessons were in progress, adding to fears among families in the area.

It also did not provide details of any immediate rescue operation or official statement on the incident.

The abduction adds to continuing security concerns in northeastern Nigeria, where attacks on civilians and educational institutions have previously raised alarm. In this case, local accounts cited by Reuters indicated that several students were seized after armed men stormed the school premises.