Armed men kidnap 25 students in north-west Nigeria, killing one teacher

Armed men stormed a boarding school in northwestern Nigeria and abducted 25 students in a pre-dawn raid, leaving the community reeling after a night of violence and fear.

The attack occurred early on Monday, with the gunmen forcing their way into the compound and marching the pupils into nearby bushland before disappearing into the surrounding forests.

Local authorities later confirmed that the raid left at least one member of staff dead, with reports naming the victim as a teacher or school official who was killed during the assault while guards and sentries tried to resist the attackers.

Witnesses said a sentry was engaged in a gunfight before the gunmen gained access, and another guard was wounded in the exchanges.

Security forces have launched search-and-rescue operations, combing forests and likely escape routes as they try to track the abductors and recover the students, while investigators work to establish the attackers’ motive and any ransom demands.

The raid fits a pattern of repeated school abductions across Nigeria’s northwest, where armed bandit gangs have targeted educational institutions for years.

The abduction has reignited painful memories of earlier mass kidnappings that drew international attention and domestic outrage, raising fresh calls for stronger protection of schools and faster, more coordinated responses from federal and state security agencies.

Community leaders and parents have expressed deep alarm for the youngsters’ safety and urged authorities to prioritise their safe return.