Armed men abducted more than 50 children, including toddlers as young as two, during coordinated raids on three schools in Nigeria’s conflict-ridden Borno state, in one of the region’s largest child kidnappings in recent months.
The attacks unfolded Friday morning in the town of Mussa, where gunmen stormed classrooms shortly after security patrols reportedly left the area, according to residents and school officials.
Witnesses said the attackers rounded up children from Government Day Secondary School, Mussa Central Primary School and the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) Secondary School before fleeing on motorcycles.
Several residents told local media and the BBC that many of the abducted children were nursery pupils between the ages of two and five.
Parents and teachers described scenes of panic as gunmen fired sporadically into the air while terrified residents scrambled for cover. Witnesses said the attackers used abducted children as human shields while escaping, preventing security forces from opening fire.
“It was less than 30 minutes after the soldiers left,” said Bukar Buba, whose daughter was among those taken.
Abdu Dunama, headmaster of Mussa Central Primary School, said dozens of young pupils were seized directly from classrooms.
“We heard gunfire and suddenly armed men entered the school compound,” he said.
Local lawmaker Ali Ndume said at least 42 children had been abducted, though residents fear the final number could be significantly higher.
No group has officially claimed responsibility, but residents and security observers suspect Boko Haram or fighters linked to Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), both of which remain active across parts of northeastern Nigeria.
The abductions have reignited fears across Borno state, where communities have endured years of insurgent violence, mass displacement and repeated school attacks.
Some residents of Mussa have already begun fleeing the area amid fears of further raids.
Nigeria has witnessed a resurgence of mass kidnappings in recent years, with armed gangs and Islamist militants increasingly targeting schools and remote communities for ransom, intimidation and recruitment.
Security forces say search operations are ongoing, though families of the missing children remain in anguish as hopes grow dim for a swift rescue.