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Armed attackers have abducted in excess of 300 schoolchildren and staff in what appears to be the biggest group abductions in modern Nigerian times, as reported by a religious organization on Saturday.

Growing Crisis in School Institutions

The pre-dawn Friday assault on St Mary's mixed-gender school in western Nigeria occurred just days after armed men attacked a high school in neighboring Kebbi state, taking 25 young women.

Initial accounts had suggested 227 victims were seized, but updated figures were released after a thorough assessment confirmed that 303 pupils and 12 educators had been kidnapped.

The taken pupils, ranging between eight and 18 years, represent nearly 50 percent of the school's total student body of 629.

Government Reaction and Security Actions

State officials have stated that security agencies and law enforcement are currently conducting a comprehensive assessment to verify the exact number of missing individuals.

In response to the increasing security concerns, the state government has directed the shutting of all schools in the state, with nearby states following similar precautionary steps.

Additionally, the federal education ministry has directed the provisional shutting of 47 boarding secondary schools throughout the country.

President Bola Tinubu has postponed international engagements, including attendance at the G20 summit in Johannesburg, to concentrate on managing the emergency.

Latest Security Incidents

The educational institution kidnappings constitute the most recent in a series of security breaches that have shaken the nation, including an attack on a place of worship in the west of Nigeria where gunmen killed two people and seized dozens worshipers during a online broadcast service.

These events have taken place against the background of global focus on Nigeria's safety situation.

Historical Background

Nigeria continues to be traumatized by the legacy of the large-scale abduction of almost 300 female students by jihadist group Boko Haram in Chibok over a ten years ago, with some of those girls still unaccounted for.

Firsthand Testimonies

In a concerning video clip shared by Christian organizations, a frightened school staff member recounted hearing the sounds of bikes and vehicles before experiencing "violent banging" on multiple entrances of the compound.

"Students were screaming," the witness said, describing her fear while searching for access to the area where the crying was loudest.

The regional Catholic authority confirmed that the "assailants operated violently and without interruption for almost three hours, moving through dormitories."

Citizen Response and Concerns

Meanwhile, about 600km away on the outskirts of Abuja, worried parents were picking up their children from schools following the closure order.

One mother, a 40-year-old nurse, expressed her shock at the scale of the kidnapping, asking how 300 children could be taken simultaneously.

She stated that the "government is not doing enough to combat insecurity," and voiced approval for external assistance to "salvage this crisis."

Ongoing Security Challenges

For a long time, heavily armed bandit groups have been carrying out murders and kidnappings for ransom in remote areas of northern and middle Nigeria, where state presence is limited.

While no group has taken credit for the latest incidents, criminal groups demanding ransom payments often target schools in rural areas where protection is weak.

These groups maintain bases in vast woodland areas straddling multiple states in the west of Nigeria.

Although these bandits have no political motives and are primarily driven by monetary profit, their increasing cooperation with jihadist groups from the northeastern region has become a major cause of concern for officials and security analysts alike.