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Armed attackers have abducted over 300 students and teachers in one of the biggest group abductions in modern Nigerian times, as reported by a religious organization on the weekend.

Escalating Emergency in Educational Facilities

The early Friday attack on St Mary's co-educational school in Niger state came just days after armed men attacked a secondary school in adjacent Kebbi state, abducting 25 girls.

Initial reports had stated 227 individuals were taken, but updated numbers were released after a detailed verification exercise confirmed that 303 pupils and 12 educators had been abducted.

The taken students, ranging between eight and 18 years, represent nearly half of the school's overall student body of 629.

Government Response and Security Measures

State authorities have confirmed that security agencies and law enforcement are presently performing a comprehensive head count to establish the precise number of missing people.

In response to the increasing security concerns, the state government has ordered the shutting of every schools in the region, with nearby states following similar precautionary actions.

Additionally, the national education department has ordered the temporary shutting of 47 boarding secondary schools throughout the country.

President Bola Tinubu has cancelled overseas commitments, including participation at the G20 summit in Johannesburg, to focus on addressing the emergency.

Recent Security Events

The educational institution abductions constitute the most recent in a sequence of security breaches that have rocked the nation, including an assault on a place of worship in the west of Nigeria where assailants killed two individuals and abducted dozens congregation members during a online broadcast service.

These incidents have taken place against the backdrop of international attention on Nigeria's safety situation.

Historical Background

Nigeria continues to be traumatized by the memory of the mass kidnapping of almost 300 schoolgirls by jihadist group Boko Haram in Chibok more than a ten years ago, with some of those girls still missing.

Eyewitness Accounts

In a disturbing video clip circulated by religious organizations, a frightened employee described hearing the sounds of bikes and vehicles before hearing "violent banging" on multiple entrances of the school premises.

"Children were crying," the staff member stated, describing her fear while searching for access to the section where the screaming was loudest.

The regional Catholic diocese stated that the "attackers operated violently and uninterrupted for nearly three hours, moving through dormitories."

Citizen Reaction and Concerns

At the same time, about 600km away on the periphery of Abuja, concerned parents were picking up their children from schools following the closure directive.

One mother, a 40-year-old healthcare worker, voiced her shock at the scale of the abduction, questioning how 300 students could be abducted simultaneously.

She stated that the "authorities is failing to act to address the security crisis," and voiced approval for international assistance to "resolve this crisis."

Continuing Security Challenges

For a long time, heavily armed bandit groups have been carrying out killings and abductions for ransom in remote areas of northwest and central Nigeria, where government control is minimal.

While nobody has claimed responsibility for the latest incidents, criminal groups seeking ransom payments frequently target schools in countryside locations where protection is inadequate.

These gangs maintain bases in extensive forest areas spanning several states in western Nigeria.

Although these bandits have no political motives and are primarily motivated by financial gain, their growing alliance with extremist groups from the northeastern region has become a significant cause of concern for officials and experts alike.