The schoolgirls were picked up by gunmen from their hostels who raided a government girls’ secondary school in the town of Janjebi, a senior official told CNN.
A police officer was killed in the attack, according to the source, who did not want to be named as he was not allowed to speak on the record.
“They came on about 20 motorcycles and they moved the abducted girls into the forest,” the source said. “The bandits arrived around 1.45 in the morning and they operated around 3 o’clock.
“The sad thing is that there is an army outpost about four minutes away from the school.”
About 500 students are usually at the boarding school, of which 315 were taken by gunmen. Others managed to escape and return to their hostels, the source said.
A state police spokesman told CNN that a detailed statement would be released in conjunction with what happened. He declined to comment on the number of students abducted in the incident.
The force said in a statement later Friday that a “heavily armed” joint search and rescue operation had been launched.
Panicked parents of some of the schoolgirls spoke to CNN on Friday, one of whom said her daughter was apparently trapped in her pajamas.
“My daughter is among those who were taken away because I saw that her belongings were left behind,” Hafsat Abubakar’s mother Jummai Haruna told CNN.
“I believe she was taken away wearing her sleeping clothes, because I saw her hijab and her school uniform.”
Haruna said, “I miss her so much already. No one has told me anything about my daughter’s whereabouts. She has always been with me. Her father died when I was pregnant with her. What can I do now?” Haruna said. .
Among the missing is Narma Umar’s niece, Asmau Louali (14).
“The government should please help bring our daughters back. Many parents were crying at school. This is very sad. We want our daughters back,” Umair told CNN.
Another resident, Safia’s Jangebi, told CNN he heard gunshots at the time of the abduction and showed how there was a clash with police at the scene.
“There are policemen all over the school, youths are angry and now they are throwing stones at the police. The governor’s wife was also here. They also threw stones chanting ‘Allah will punish you’ and ‘We will not forgive you’.” Jangebi said.
Amnesty International called the incident a “war crime.”
In Nigeria’s Middle Belt region, the latest kidnapping comes two weeks after at least one person બે, including students, was abducted in a similar raid on a state school in the state of Niger. One student was killed in the attack, while 27 students, three teachers and nine family members were abducted. Their current whereabouts are unknown.
On Friday, UNICEF expressed concern over reports of an overnight attack.
Peter Hawkins, UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, said: “We are outraged and saddened by yet another brutal attack on school children in Narazia.
“This is a gross violation of children’s rights and a horrific experience for children to go through – which could have a long-term effect on their mental health and well-being. We condemn this attack and call on those responsible to release them.” Government to take immediate steps to ensure the safety and security of girls and all other school children in Nigeria.
“Children should always feel safe at home and at school – and parents shouldn’t have to worry about their children’s safety when they send their children to school in the morning,” Hawkins said.
Many parents are concerned about the safety of their children in schools in northern Nigeria.
The most notable of the school kidnapping cases in the country were the Chibok school girls who were abducted by Boko Haram in April 2014.
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