Gunmen have kidnapped more than 50 children from three schools in the same town in north-eastern Nigeria, teachers and parents have told the BBC. Most of those missing are aged between two and five years old. Eyewitnesses who saw the attacks on Friday morning in Mussa, Borno state, say the suspects used the children as human shields while fleeing on motorbikes, preventing security forces from opening fire. No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks. Government officials have not responded to the BBC's requests for comment, but a press statement issued on Saturday by Senator Ali Ndume of Borno South said at least 42 children had been abducted from two schools. The kidnappings took place at the town's Government Day Secondary School, Mussa Central Primary School, and State Universal Basis Education Board (SUBEB) Secondary School. Some reports suggest the attacks bore the hallmark of Boko Haram - the Islamist group vying for control over the region against its rival faction, Islamic State West Africa Province (Iswap). Nigeria is currently grappling with a spate of mass abductions by a range of culprits. Locals in Borno state have endured decades of insecurity. These latest attacks have prompted some resident of Mussa to flee the area. Yet traumatized parents have told the BBC they feel they have no choice but to wait in anguish for news about their children. One man, who did not want to be named for fear of reprisal, said his wife was inconsolable after their six-year-old daughter was snatched away by the gunmen. Abdu Dunama, headmaster of Mussa Central Primary School, described hearing gunfire before armed men stormed the school and rounded up children.
Mass Kidnapping of Schoolchildren in Nigeria Raises Alarms
Mass Kidnapping of Schoolchildren in Nigeria Raises Alarms
Gunmen have abducted over 50 schoolchildren in northeastern Nigeria, with many victims aged as young as two, reigniting fears over escalating insecurity in the region.
In a shocking incident, more than 50 schoolchildren were kidnapped from three schools in Mussa, Borno State, Nigeria. Among those abducted are toddlers aged between two and five years old. Eyewitness accounts indicate that the attackers used the children as human shields while fleeing on motorcycles, complicating rescue efforts by security forces. This incident highlights the ongoing scourge of mass abductions in Nigeria fueled by criminal gangs and jihadist factions. Families are now in a state of anguish as they wait for news about their missing children.
