Gunmen abduct dozens of students in Nigeria's Borno State
An armed group has abducted dozens of students in an overnight raid in Nigeria's north-eastern Borno State. No claim of responsibility has been issued, but officials say the raid bears the hallmarks of Boko Haram.
Nigerian authorities say armed assailants stormed a state school in Borno late on Friday night and abducted dozens of students from their dormitories. The state police chief said the raid was carried out by a disciplined command structure and confirmed casualties have not yet been finalised.
Al Jazeera reports that no group has publicly claimed responsibility, but the geography of Borno, the target profile and the tactics match earlier raids by Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province. Some parents have come forward to say their children are missing and demanded a clear statement from the government.
The Defence Headquarters announced a rescue operation combining air and ground assets, with communications in the area temporarily restricted. Despite years of military operations, school raids in north-eastern Nigeria have become a recurring pattern over the past decade.
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