A coordinated attack by armed gunmen left more than 50 children kidnapped from three separate schools in Damaturu, Borno State, late Tuesday night, local educators and eyewitnesses confirmed early Wednesday. Among the abducted are toddlers as young as three years old, marking one of the most brazen assaults on educational institutions in Nigeria this year.

Witnesses described assailants arriving in pickup trucks and motorcycles, firing sporadically as they stormed the compounds. A teacher from Government Science Technical College, who requested anonymity, said: “They came without warning. Some were still in class, others had just left the playground. We heard gunshots, screams, and then silence. They took whoever they could.”

Local officials confirmed the kidnappings but declined to comment on the assailants’ identity, though suspicion has fallen on armed groups active in the region. Borno State Commissioner for Education, Aliyu Jajere, stated: “We are working with security agencies to locate the children. This is a despicable act against our most vulnerable.”

Security experts warn that the attack reflects a disturbing trend of escalating violence targeting schools in northeast Nigeria. Since 2020, over 1,500 students have been kidnapped in similar incidents, with many still missing. The latest abductions come just weeks after the federal government pledged £90 million to enhance school safety nationwide.

Families of the abducted children have gathered outside the Damaturu Government House, demanding immediate action from authorities. A mother of a three-year-old taken from the private Islamic school told reporters, “They took my baby. I don’t care about politics. Bring her back.”

Military and police sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that helicopters and ground troops are conducting aerial and ground searches across the Sambisa Forest and surrounding villages, known hideouts for insurgent groups. However, no group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.

• 📊 53 children remain unaccounted for as of 6 a.m. Wednesday
• 🔍 Security forces suspect local affiliates of Boko Haram or Islamic State’s West Africa Province
• ⚠️ Previous kidnappings often led to ransom demands or forced recruitment into militant ranks

Human rights organizations have condemned the incident, calling it a violation of international humanitarian law. Amnesty International Nigeria’s spokesperson, Isa Sanusi, stated: “Targeting children in schools is a war crime. The government must act decisively to protect civilians and ensure the safe return of all abducted students.”

1. First — Nigerian military launches Operation Safe School III to patrol high-risk zones
2. Second — Borno State sets up a 24-hour hotline for information: 0803 200 1111
3. Third — Federal government announces joint civil-military task force to review school security protocols countrywide

The attack follows a string of violent incidents in Borno State, where over 300 civilians have been killed in the first quarter of 2024 alone, according to the Nigeria Security Tracker. The state remains under a decade-long state of emergency due to insurgent activity.