Gunmen kidnapped at least 15 pupils from a school in Nigeria in a dawn raid on Saturday (Mar 9), days after about 300 children were abducted in another armed raid.

The gunmen forced their way into the school premises in the Sokoto village of Gidan Bakuso, in the country’s north-west, and started firing shots sporadically, waking and causing panic among the pupils, said the school’s owner, Liman Abubakar Bakuso.

“They succeeded in abducting 15 of my students, the oldest being 20 and 15, but all the others are below 13,” said Bakuso by phone, adding that a woman had also been kidnapped.

“We are in a state of panic and have been praying hard for their safe release,” he told Reuters.

Police did not respond to requests for comment.

Kidnappings at schools in Nigeria were first carried out by the jihadist group Boko Haram, which seized more than 200 students from a girls’ school in Chibok in Borno state a decade ago, causing global outrage.

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But the tactic has since been adopted by criminal gangs without any ideological affiliation seeking ransom payments, authorities say.

Nigeria’s security forces are stretched fighting an Islamist insurgency in the north-east, leaving vast swathes of land unpoliced and armed gangs to roam freely.

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In Kaduna, the state governor told the BBC at least 28 of the schoolchildren kidnapped earlier this week had managed to escape their captors.

Until Thursday’s abduction in Kaduna, Nigeria had witnessed a lull in mass kidnappings from schools since July 2021 when about 150 students were seized by armed men.

Gunmen kidnapped at least 15 pupils from a school in Nigeria in a dawn raid on Saturday (Mar 9), days after about 300 children were abducted in another armed raid.

Gunmen kidnapped at least 15 pupils from a school in Nigeria in a dawn raid on Saturday (Mar 9), days after about 300 children were abducted in another armed raid. The gunmen forced their way into the school premises in the Sokoto village of Gidan Bakuso, in the country’s north-west, and started firing shots sporadically, waking and causing panic among the pupils, said the school’s owner, Liman Abubakar Bakuso. “They succeeded in abducting 15 of my students, the oldest being 20 and 15, but all the others are below 13,” said Bakuso by phone, adding that a woman had also been kidnapped. “We are in a state of panic and have been praying hard for their safe release,” he told Reuters. Police did not respond to requests for comment. Kidnappings at schools in Nigeria were first carried out by the jihadist group Boko Haram, which seized more than 200 students from a girls’ school in Chibok in Borno state a decade ago, causing global outrage. Also read: South Africa puts focus on Genocide Convention over `imminent threat` of famine in Gaza But the tactic has since been adopted by criminal gangs without any ideological affiliation seeking ransom payments, authorities say. Nigeria’s security forces are stretched fighting an Islamist insurgency in the north-east, leaving vast swathes of land unpoliced and armed gangs to roam freely. Also read: Women`s Day 2024: The woman breaking the glass ceiling in post-apartheid South Africa In Kaduna, the state governor told the BBC at least 28 of the schoolchildren kidnapped earlier this week had managed to escape their captors. Until Thursday’s abduction in Kaduna, Nigeria had witnessed a lull in mass kidnappings from schools since July 2021 when about 150 students were seized by armed men.

Gunmen abduct 15 pupils from Nigeria school as search continues for 300 others

Several hundreds girls are missing after a raid by suspected armed bandits on a school hostel in Zamfara, northwest Nigeria, a teacher and parent told AFP on Friday, in what would be the latest mass kidnapping in the troubled region.

Heavily-armed criminal gangs in northwest and central Nigeria have stepped up attacks in recent years, kidnapping for ransom, raping and pillaging.

"More than 300 girls are unaccounted for after a headcount of remaining students," a teacher at the Government Girls Secondary School Jangebe who asked to remain anonymous.

A parent told AFP he had received a call about the incident.&nbsp;

"I'm on my way to Jangebe. I received a call that the school was invaded by bandits who took away schoolgirls. I have two daughters in the school," said Sadi Kawaye.

Police have not yet confirmed the incident.

Last week, 42 people were taken by a gang from a school in nearby Niger state.

More than 300 boys were kidnapped from a school in December in Kankara, President Muhammadu Buhari's home state of Katsina, while he was visiting the region.

The boys were later released after negotiations with government officials but the incident triggered global outrage.

Several hundreds girls are missing after a raid by suspected armed bandits on a school hostel in Zamfara, northwest Nigeria, a teacher and parent told AFP on Friday, in what would be the latest mass kidnapping in the troubled region.

Several hundreds girls are missing after a raid by suspected armed bandits on a school hostel in Zamfara, northwest Nigeria, a teacher and parent told AFP on Friday, in what would be the latest mass kidnapping in the troubled region. Heavily-armed criminal gangs in northwest and central Nigeria have stepped up attacks in recent years, kidnapping for ransom, raping and pillaging. "More than 300 girls are unaccounted for after a headcount of remaining students," a teacher at the Government Girls Secondary School Jangebe who asked to remain anonymous. A parent told AFP he had received a call about the incident. "I'm on my way to Jangebe. I received a call that the school was invaded by bandits who took away schoolgirls. I have two daughters in the school," said Sadi Kawaye. Police have not yet confirmed the incident. Last week, 42 people were taken by a gang from a school in nearby Niger state. More than 300 boys were kidnapped from a school in December in Kankara, President Muhammadu Buhari's home state of Katsina, while he was visiting the region. The boys were later released after negotiations with government officials but the incident triggered global outrage.

Several hundred girls kidnapped from Nigeria school

The attack sparked anger in the largely poor and rural region towards the country’s government, which is under mounting pressure following deepening insecurity.

WION Dispatch: Hundreds of students missing after gunmen attack Nigerian school