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Armed attackers have kidnapped over 300 schoolchildren and staff in what appears to be the biggest collective seizures in recent Nigerian history, as reported by a Christian organization on the weekend.

Growing Crisis in School Facilities

The Friday morning attack on St Mary's mixed-gender school in western Nigeria came just a short time after gunmen invaded a secondary school in neighboring Kebbi state, taking 25 girls.

Earlier accounts had suggested 227 individuals were taken, but revised figures surfaced after a thorough assessment established that 303 pupils and 12 teachers had been kidnapped.

The taken students, ranging between eight and 18 years, account for nearly half of the school's total enrollment of 629.

Official Response and Safety Actions

Local officials have stated that security agencies and police are currently performing a thorough assessment to determine the exact number of missing individuals.

In reaction to the growing safety concerns, the local authorities has mandated the closure of every schools in the region, with nearby states following similar preventive steps.

Additionally, the federal education ministry has ordered the provisional closure of 47 residential high schools across the country.

President Bola Tinubu has postponed overseas engagements, including participation at the G20 summit in Johannesburg, to focus on addressing the emergency.

Latest Security Events

The school abductions constitute the most recent in a sequence of safety incidents that have rocked the nation, including an assault on a church in western Nigeria where gunmen killed two individuals and seized numerous congregation members during a live-streamed service.

These events have occurred against the backdrop of global focus on Nigeria's security situation.

Historical Context

Nigeria continues to be traumatized by the memory of the large-scale abduction of almost 300 schoolgirls by jihadist group Boko Haram in Chibok more than a ten years ago, with some of those victims still unaccounted for.

Eyewitness Accounts

In a disturbing video clip circulated by Christian organizations, a distraught school staff member described hearing the sounds of motorcycles and vehicles before experiencing "violent banging" on various gates of the compound.

"Children were weeping," the witness stated, describing her terror while looking for access to the area where the crying was most intense.

The regional Catholic diocese confirmed that the "attackers acted violently and uninterrupted for nearly three hours, moving through dormitories."

Citizen Response and Fears

At the same time, about 600km away on the outskirts of Abuja, worried guardians were picking up their children from schools following the closure directive.

One mother, a 40-year-old healthcare worker, voiced her shock at the scale of the abduction, asking how 300 children could be taken simultaneously.

She stated that the "authorities is not doing enough to address the security crisis," and voiced approval for international assistance to "salvage this crisis."

Continuing Safety Issues

For years, well-equipped bandit groups have been conducting killings and kidnappings for money in remote areas of northern and middle Nigeria, where state presence is minimal.

While nobody has taken credit for the recent incidents, bandit gangs demanding ransom payments often target schools in rural areas where protection is inadequate.

These groups maintain bases in extensive forest areas spanning several states in western Nigeria.

Although these bandits have no political motives and are mainly driven by monetary profit, their growing cooperation with jihadist groups from the northeastern region has become a significant cause of concern for officials and experts alike.