Gunmen kidnapped more than 300 students and teachers in one of Nigeria’s largest mass abductions on Friday, according to the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).
The raid on St. Mary’s school in Niger state occurred early in the day, just days after 25 girls were abducted from a nearby Kebbi state school.
CAN revised its initial figure after verification, confirming that 303 students and 12 teachers were taken. The victims, aged eight to eighteen, make up nearly half of St. Mary’s total enrolment.
The Nigerian government has not released its own count of those abducted. Niger state’s governor said authorities were still conducting a full head count as all schools in the state were ordered closed. However, it has been reported that 50 students have managed to escape from their abductors.
Across Nigeria, dozens of boarding schools have also been shut as a precaution. These incidents follow U.S. warnings about violence against Christians, while Nigeria continues to grapple with the legacy of the Chibok kidnappings.