More than 300 children abducted in Nigerian school attack

The incident took place at Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary School (Christian Association of Nigeria via AP)

More than 300 children and 12 teachers have been abducted by gunmen during an attack on St Mary’s School in north-central Nigeria’s Niger state, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) said.

The earlier tally of 215 was changed “after a verification exercise and a final census was carried out,” according to a statement issued by the Most Rev Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, chairman of the Niger state chapter of CAN, who visited the Catholic school on Friday.

The kidnapping in Niger state’s remote Papiri community happened four days after 25 schoolchildren were seized in similar circumstances in neighbouring Kebbi state’s Maga town, 106 miles away.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the abductions and authorities have said tactical squads have been deployed alongside local hunters to rescue the children.