Gunmen abducted 23 pupils from an illegal orphanage in Lokoja, Kogi State, Nigeria. Fifteen have been rescued, and authorities are searching for the remaining eight victims.
By Dyepkazah Shibayan in Abuja, AFP:
The statement did not say how old the abducted children are, but the term “pupil” in Nigeria usually refers to someone in kindergarten or primary school, covering ages up to 12.
“Intensive operations are ongoing to secure the safe return of the remaining eight victims and apprehend the perpetrators,” Fanwo said.
Students’ kidnappings have come to define the insecurity in Africa’s most populous nation. Analysts say armed gangs see schools and students as “strategic” targets to draw attention.
Nigeria is battling a complex security crisis, especially in the north, where an insurgency has simmered for more than a decade.
Among the most prominent Islamic militant groups are Boko Haram and its breakaway faction, known as ISWAP. There is also the IS-linked Lakurawa group operating in communities in the northwestern part of the country bordering Niger.
