At least 36 children and one employee were abducted by armed individuals from a school in northeastern Nigeria. This marks the third mass kidnapping from a school in Africa’s most populous country since May.
The latest incident occurred on June 29, 2026, when armed assailants stormed a secondary school in Borno state and kidnapped students who were taking exams. Authorities reported that eight of the abducted students were rescued.
In May 2026, armed men kidnapped at least 39 students and seven teachers in the southwestern state of Oyo. During that incident, one teacher was killed, and security personnel were injured during the rescue attempt. The kidnapped children and teachers remain in captivity.
Also in May 2026, suspected militants abducted 42 pupils from a primary and junior secondary school in Borno state. These pupils are still missing.
Previous cases of mass kidnappings
Earlier, in November 2025, armed individuals kidnapped 303 students and 12 staff from a Catholic school in Niger state. The children and staff were freed after a month.
That same month, armed individuals attacked a state-run girls’ boarding school in Kebbi state. During the assault, the vice principal was killed, and 25 students were kidnapped. The girls were later released.
Source: The Straits Times
