Suspected Islamist militants have abducted 42 pupils from a school and nearby homes in Borno State, according to a Reuters report.
The incident occurred on Friday in Askira-Uba Local Government Area in northeastern Nigeria, a region long affected by insurgency and mass abductions. Authorities are yet to confirm the attack or announce any rescue operation at the time of reporting.
The incident has renewed concerns over school safety and recurring kidnappings in northern Nigeria, especially in rural areas with weak security coverage, adding to Borno State’s long history of school-targeted attacks linked to insurgent groups.
Senator Ali Ndume, representing Borno South, said school authorities informed him that 32 pupils were taken directly from Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School, while 10 others were abducted from nearby homes, bringing the total to 42.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, and the Nigeria Police Force and Nigerian Armed Forces had not issued official statements at the time of reporting.
Nigeria has experienced repeated waves of mass abductions, particularly in the northern region where armed groups and insurgents frequently target schools, villages, and highways.
Despite these interventions, school attacks and rural abductions continue to be reported across several northern communities.
Kidnapping has evolved into a major criminal economy in Nigeria, driven by ransom payments and expanding networks of armed groups, according to recent security analyses.
The report also noted that kidnappings are increasingly linked with broader banditry activities, including forced labour in farms and mining sites controlled by armed groups.
The incident adds to ongoing concerns about the safety of schools in northern Nigeria amid persistent insurgent and bandit activity.
Forty-two pupils missing after Nigeria school attack, lawmaker says | Reuters