Gunmen attacked a Catholic boarding school in a western region of Nigeria and abducted more than 200 schoolchildren, the Christian Association of Nigeria said, in the latest in a spate of abductions in Africa’s most populous country.
The attack and abductions took place at St Mary’s School, a Catholic institution in the Agwara local government’s Papiri community.
Attackers seized 215 students as well as 12 teachers, said Daniel Atori, a spokesperson for the Niger state chapter of CAN.
“I just got back to the village tonight after I visited the school where I also met with parents,” said Mr Atori in a statement, adding the association is working “to ensure our children’s safe return”.
The Niger State Police Command said the abductions took place in the early hours and that military and security forces have since been deployed to the community.
It described St Mary’s as a secondary school, which in Nigeria would serve children between the ages of 12 and 17.
A satellite image shows that the school compound is attached to an adjoining primary school, with more than 50 classrooms and dormitory buildings. It is located near a major road linking the towns of Yelwa and Mokwa.
Dauda Chekula, 62, said that four of his grandchildren, ranging in age from seven to 10, were among the schoolchildren abducted.
“We don’t know what is happening now, because we have not heard anything since this morning,” Mr Chekula said.
“The children who were able to escape have scattered, some of them ran back to their houses, and the only information we are getting is that the attackers are still moving with the remaining children into the bush.”
The statement by the secretary to the Niger state government said that the abduction occurred despite prior intelligence warnings of heightened threats.
“Regrettably, St Mary’s School proceeded to reopen and resume academic activities without notifying or seeking clearance from the State Government, thereby exposing pupils and the staff to avoidable risk,” it read.
Umar Yunus, a Papiri resident, said there were only local security arrangements and no official police or government forces securing the school at the time of the attack on Friday.
The Catholic Diocese of Kontagora said in a statement that a security staffer was “badly shot” during the attack.
The abductions took place days after gunmen attacked a high school on Monday and abducted 25 schoolgirls in the neighbouring Kebbi state, in Maga, around 170 kilometres (105 miles) from Papiri. One of the girls later escaped and is safe, the school’s principal said.
In a separate attack in Kwara state, which borders Niger state, gunmen attacked a church, killing two people.
During Monday’s attack, 38 worshippers were also abducted, Femi Agbabiaka, secretary of the Christ Apostolic Church, told The Associated Press on Friday.
He said that the kidnappers are demanding a ransom of 100 million naira (£52,500) for each person taken.
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu cancelled his trip to this weekend’s G20 summit in South Africa over the recent events.
Vice President Kashim Shettima will represent the president at the summit, the presidency said on X on Friday.
“We will use every instrument of the state to bring these girls home and to ensure that the perpetrators of this wickedness face the full weight of justice,” Mr Shettima said during a visit to Kebbi state on Wednesday.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks in Niger and Kebbi state, but analysts and locals say gangs often target schools, travellers and remote villagers in kidnappings for ransom.
Authorities say the gunmen are mostly former herders who have taken up arms against farming communities after clashes between them over strained resources.
Abductions have come to define the insecurity prevailing in Africa’s most populous nation.
At least 1,500 students have been abducted in the region since Boko Haram jihadi extremists seized 276 Chibok schoolgirls more than a decade ago.
But bandits are also active in the region, and analysts say gangs often target schools to gain attention.