Gunmen Abduct Over 50 Children from Schools in Northeastern Nigeria
Armed assailants kidnapped more than 50 children, aged between two and five, from three schools in Mussa, Borno State, using them as human shields during their escape.
On Friday morning, armed assailants abducted over 50 children, primarily aged between two and five, from three educational institutions in Mussa, Borno State, northeastern Nigeria. Eyewitnesses reported that the attackers used the children as human shields while fleeing on motorcycles, preventing security forces from engaging.
The targeted institutions were Government Day Secondary School, Mussa Central Primary School, and State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) Primary School. No group has claimed responsibility for the abductions, though the attack's characteristics resemble those of Boko Haram, an Islamist group active in the region.
Residents recounted that the gunmen arrived shortly after military patrols had left the area. The assailants fired sporadically, causing panic among locals. Many parents watched helplessly as their children were taken away. Some older students managed to escape into nearby bushes during the chaos.
The community, already facing economic challenges, is now appealing to the government for assistance in securing the safe return of the abducted children. Parents remain in anguish, awaiting news about their missing children.