Over 40 children were reportedly kidnapped from multiple schools and homes in Borno State, northeastern Nigeria, on Friday, May 15. The abductions included toddlers and young students, sparking fear and panic in the community.
Details of the Abductions
The attacks occurred at Mussa’s Government Day Secondary School, Mussa Central Primary School, and State Universal Basic Education Board Secondary School. Witnesses reported armed men on motorcycles stormed the schools around 9 a.m., taking children while classes were in session. Some students escaped into nearby bushes.
Number of Victims
Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume confirmed that 42 children were abducted: 4 from the secondary school, 28 from the primary school, and 10 from nearby homes. Families described harrowing experiences, with one father reporting his 6-year-old daughter taken during the attack.
Methods and Tactics
According to witnesses, the attackers used the children as human shields while fleeing the area on motorcycles. No group has claimed responsibility, though the attack bore similarities to past Boko Haram operations in northeastern Nigeria.
Community and Government Response
Residents of Mussa, a farming community near the Sambisa Forest, have fled the area. Authorities continue to investigate, while the Nigerian government battles multiple armed groups across the country.
Another armed school kidnapping occurred in southwestern Nigeria on the same day, leading to the arrest of three suspects.
