More than 50 children, including toddlers, have reportedly been kidnapped by armed gunmen during coordinated attacks on three schools in Mussa town, Borno State.
Teachers, parents and local residents told the BBC that the abductions took place on Friday morning, with most of the missing children believed to be between the ages of two and five.
Eyewitnesses said the attackers used the abducted children as human shields while escaping on motorcycles, preventing security operatives from opening fire.
The attacks reportedly targeted Government Day Secondary School, Mussa Central Primary School and the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) Secondary School.
Although no group has officially claimed responsibility, some reports suggest the operation bears similarities to previous Boko Haram attacks in the region.
Government officials are yet to issue an official response to the incident. However, Senator Ali Ndume, representing Borno South, confirmed in a statement on Saturday that at least 42 children were abducted from two of the schools.
Residents said the attackers stormed the town shortly after military personnel conducting patrol operations had departed the area.
“[It was] immediately after they left, it was not up to 30 minutes after,” said Bukar Buba, whose daughter was among those kidnapped.
Witnesses explained that the gunmen arrived on motorcycles and began firing sporadically, causing panic among residents and forcing many people to flee for safety.
According to locals, many helpless parents watched from a nearby hill as the children were loaded onto motorcycles and driven away by the gunmen.
Some older students reportedly escaped into nearby bushes during the chaos.
The headmaster of Mussa Central Primary School, Abdu Dunama, said armed men stormed classrooms after gunfire erupted around the area.
He revealed that 34 children, mostly nursery pupils aged five and below, were taken from the school.
One resident, who asked not to be identified for security reasons, said his wife had been left devastated after their six-year-old daughter was abducted.
The latest incident has heightened fear across Borno State, where communities have battled years of violence linked to Boko Haram insurgents and rival extremist factions such as the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
The attacks have also triggered fresh displacement in Mussa, with several residents reportedly fleeing the community over fears of further violence.
Community leaders and parents are now appealing to the government and security agencies to intensify rescue efforts and secure the safe return of the abducted children.
Dunama confirmed that security forces remain in the area and are continuing operations aimed at locating the kidnappers and rescuing the victims.
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