Nigeria kidnappings: One million children to miss school

One million Nigerian children will likely stay away from school because of the threat of violence after a series of mass kidnappings and attacks targeting students this year, the UN said on Wednesday.

More than 1,000 pupils have been snatched in mass abductions for ransom by criminal gangs in Nigeria’s north-west and central states since December with dozens still in captivity.

Some of the state governments have temporarily shut schools after the abductions.

As schools resume this month, the UN children’s agency Unicef says many children will be cut off from their education and other vital benefits schools provide.