Students missing after suspected attack on Nigeria school
AP News • • world
Key Points:
- An unspecified number of students are missing following a suspected jihadi militant attack on a secondary school in Askira-Uba, Borno state, Nigeria, near the Sambisa Forest, a known militant stronghold.
- The attack was carried out by Boko Haram and its splinter group, Islamic State West Africa Province, according to local police.
- Authorities confirmed many students fled during the attack, but it remains unclear how many were abducted, with a headcount still in progress.
- Abductions of schoolchildren by armed groups like Boko Haram are common in Nigeria, often used to demand high ransoms and draw government attention.
- Residents reported dozens of students were taken, including children under the age of 10, highlighting ongoing security challenges in the region.