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Gunmen have abducted in excess of 300 schoolchildren and staff in what is considered the largest mass kidnappings in modern Nigerian times, according to a religious organization on Saturday.

Growing Emergency in School Facilities

The early Friday raid on St Mary's co-educational school in Niger state occurred just a short time after gunmen invaded a secondary school in adjacent Kebbi state, abducting 25 young women.

Earlier accounts had stated 227 victims were taken, but new numbers emerged after a thorough counting process confirmed that 303 students and 12 educators had been abducted.

The taken students, ranging between eight and 18 years, represent nearly half of the school's overall student population of 629.

Official Reaction and Safety Actions

Local authorities have confirmed that intelligence departments and law enforcement are currently performing a thorough census to verify the exact number of abducted individuals.

In reaction to the growing security fears, the state government has ordered the shutting of all schools in the state, with nearby states adopting similar preventive steps.

Furthermore, the federal education ministry has ordered the temporary shutting of 47 residential high schools across the country.

President Bola Tinubu has postponed international commitments, including participation at the G20 summit in Johannesburg, to concentrate on addressing the crisis.

Latest Violent Events

The educational institution kidnappings constitute the most recent in a series of safety breaches that have shaken the country, including an attack on a place of worship in the west of Nigeria where gunmen killed two individuals and abducted many worshipers during a online broadcast service.

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

Historical Context

Nigeria remains scarred by the legacy of the mass abduction of almost 300 schoolgirls by jihadist group Boko Haram in Chibok over a decade ago, with several of those victims still missing.

Eyewitness Testimonies

In a disturbing video clip circulated by religious organizations, a distraught school staff member described hearing the noise of motorcycles and cars before hearing "forceful banging" on multiple entrances of the school premises.

"Students were screaming," the staff member stated, describing her fear while searching for access to the section where the crying was loudest.

The local Catholic authority confirmed that the "assailants acted violently and without interruption for almost three hours, searching sleeping quarters."

Citizen Reaction and Fears

At the same time, about 600km away on the periphery of Abuja, concerned parents were collecting their children from schools following the closure directive.

One parent, a 40-year-old healthcare worker, expressed her shock at the magnitude of the abduction, questioning how 300 students could be abducted simultaneously.

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

Continuing Security Issues

For years, well-equipped criminal gangs have been carrying out murders and kidnappings for ransom in remote areas of northwest and central Nigeria, where state presence is minimal.

While nobody has taken credit for the latest incidents, bandit gangs seeking financial compensation frequently target schools in rural areas where security is inadequate.

These groups maintain bases in extensive forest areas straddling multiple states in western Nigeria.

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