No group claimed responsibility for the raid which bore the hallmark of the Boko Haram group.By AFP and ReutersPublished On 16 May 202616 May 2026Gunmen have kidnapped dozens of school pupils in Nigeria’s rebellion-ravaged northeastern state of Borno, residents told the Reuters and AFP news agencies.The suspected fighters stormed Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in Askira-Uba Local Government Area at about 9 am (08:00 GMT) on Friday while classes were in session and took several students with them, Ubaidallah Hasaan, who lives near the school, told Reuters.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of listA teacher at the school told Reuters that armed attackers had arrived on motorcycles. “Despite some students escaping to the bushes, I can tell you many were taken away,” the teacher said.No group claimed responsibility for the raid, which bore the hallmark of the Boko Haram group. Local lawmaker Midala Usman Balami called the attack “heartbreaking” and urged authorities to act swiftly.Africa’s most populous country is battling a 17-year armed rebellion from such groups, who have made abductions a key tactic – including the infamous 2014 kidnapping of hundreds of schoolgirls in Chibok.Mass kidnappings have become a common way for gangs and armed groups to make quick money in Africa’s most populous country, especially in rural areas with little government presence.A few weeks ago, gunmen raided an orphanage and kidnapped at least 23 children from an “isolated area” in Nigeria’s Kogi State capital, Lokoja, Kogi Information Commissioner Kingsley Fanwo said in a statement.Borno and neighbouring states have seen repeated attacks on schools and communities despite ongoing military operations, raising concerns about security gaps in rural areas. Advertisement The community of Mussa lies near the Sambisa Forest, a longstanding strongh …
