Gunmen raided three educational institutions in Nigeria, abducting over 50 children, teachers, and local residents according to witnesses. The incident occurred in Mussa, Borno state, on Friday morning. The perpetrators used the children as shields while escaping on motorcycles, preventing security forces from retaliating. Most of the missing children are toddlers between two and five years old.
The abduction took place at Government Day Secondary School, Mussa Central Primary School, and State Universal Basis Education Board (SUBEB) Primary School. Parents watched helplessly as the armed individuals fled with their children, eyewitnesses reported.
No specific group has claimed responsibility for the attack, and government officials have not issued any statements. Speculations suggest the involvement of Boko Haram, a group in conflict with the Islamic State West Africa Province (Iswap) for regional dominance.
Nigeria is experiencing a rise in mass kidnappings by various armed factions, with residents in Borno state enduring ongoing violence, prompting some to flee their homes. Distraught families are anxiously awaiting updates on their missing loved ones.
A father, who chose to remain anonymous due to safety concerns, shared his wife’s distress after their six-year-old daughter was taken by the abductors. Abdu Dunama, the headmaster of Mussa Central Primary School, recounted the chaos as armed men seized 34 young children from their classrooms.
Efforts are ongoing to locate the perpetrators, as security forces and troops intensify their search. Some older students managed to escape into nearby bushes during the commotion, as residents sought refuge from the sporadic gunfire.
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