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Armed attackers have abducted over 300 schoolchildren and staff in what is considered the largest group abductions in modern Nigerian history, as reported by a religious organization on the weekend.

Escalating Crisis in School Institutions

The Friday morning attack on St Mary's mixed-gender school in Niger state came just a short time after armed men stormed a high school in neighboring Kebbi state, seizing 25 girls.

Earlier reports had suggested 227 victims were seized, but updated figures were released after a thorough assessment confirmed that 303 pupils and 12 teachers had been abducted.

The taken students, aged between eight and 18 years, account for nearly 50 percent of the school's total student population of 629.

Official Reaction and Safety Actions

State officials have confirmed that security agencies and police are presently performing a thorough census to verify the precise number of missing individuals.

In response to the increasing safety concerns, the local authorities has mandated the closure of every schools in the region, with neighboring states following similar preventive measures.

Additionally, the federal education ministry has ordered the provisional closure of 47 residential high schools across the country.

President Bola Tinubu has cancelled international engagements, including participation at the G20 summit in Johannesburg, to concentrate on handling the situation.

Recent Security Incidents

The educational institution abductions represent the latest in a series of security breaches that have shaken the nation, including an attack on a church in western Nigeria where assailants killed two individuals and abducted numerous worshipers during a online broadcast service.

These incidents have taken place against the backdrop of global focus on Nigeria's security situation.

Past Context

Nigeria remains scarred by the legacy of the mass abduction of nearly 300 female students by jihadist group Boko Haram in Chibok over a decade ago, with some of those victims still missing.

Eyewitness Accounts

In a concerning recording circulated by Christian organizations, a distraught employee recounted hearing the noise of motorcycles and vehicles before hearing "forceful banging" on various entrances of the compound.

"Children were crying," the witness stated, describing her fear while searching for access to the section where the crying was most intense.

The local Catholic authority stated that the "attackers operated violently and without interruption for nearly three hours, moving through sleeping quarters."

Citizen Response and Fears

Meanwhile, about 600km away on the periphery of Abuja, concerned parents were collecting their students from educational institutions following the closure directive.

One mother, a 40-year-old healthcare worker, expressed her disbelief at the scale of the kidnapping, questioning how 300 children could be taken at once.

She stated that the "authorities is failing to act to address insecurity," and voiced support for international intervention to "salvage this situation."

Ongoing Security Issues

For years, well-equipped criminal gangs have been carrying out killings and kidnappings for money in remote areas of northern and middle Nigeria, where government control is minimal.

While nobody has claimed responsibility for the recent attacks, bandit gangs seeking ransom payments frequently target schools in rural areas where security is inadequate.

These groups maintain bases in extensive forest areas spanning several states in the west of Nigeria.

While these bandits have no political motives and are primarily motivated by financial gain, their growing cooperation with extremist groups from the north-east has become a major cause of worry for authorities and security analysts alike.