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Gunmen have seized more than 300 students and teachers in what is considered the largest group abductions in recent Nigerian history, as reported by a religious organization on the weekend.

Escalating Crisis in Educational Facilities

The early Friday assault on St Mary's co-educational school in western Nigeria came just a short time after gunmen attacked a secondary school in neighboring Kebbi state, taking 25 female students.

Initial reports had indicated 227 victims were seized, but new figures emerged after a detailed counting process established that 303 pupils and 12 educators had been kidnapped.

The kidnapped students, aged between eight and 18 years, represent nearly half of the school's overall student body of 629.

Government Reaction and Security Actions

Local officials have confirmed that security agencies and law enforcement are currently performing a thorough assessment to establish the precise number of missing individuals.

In reaction to the increasing security concerns, the state government has ordered the closure of every schools in the state, with neighboring states following similar precautionary measures.

Additionally, the national education department has directed the provisional shutting of 47 boarding secondary schools throughout the country.

President Bola Tinubu has cancelled overseas commitments, including attendance at the G20 summit in Johannesburg, to concentrate on addressing the crisis.

Latest Violent Events

The educational institution abductions represent the latest in a series of safety breaches that have shaken the country, including an assault on a place of worship in western Nigeria where gunmen shot dead two individuals and seized dozens worshipers during a online broadcast service.

These events have taken place against the backdrop of global focus on Nigeria's security situation.

Past Context

Nigeria remains traumatized by the legacy of the mass abduction of nearly 300 female students by extremist group Boko Haram in Chibok over a decade ago, with several of those victims still missing.

Firsthand Accounts

In a disturbing recording circulated by religious organizations, a upset school staff member recounted hearing the noise of motorcycles and vehicles before experiencing "forceful banging" on multiple entrances of the compound.

"Children were weeping," the staff member reported, recounting her fear while looking for keys to the section where the crying was most intense.

The regional Catholic diocese confirmed that the "attackers operated violently and without interruption for almost three hours, searching sleeping quarters."

Citizen Reaction and Fears

Meanwhile, about 600km away on the outskirts of Abuja, worried guardians were collecting their children from educational institutions following the closure order.

One mother, a 40-year-old healthcare worker, voiced her shock at the magnitude of the kidnapping, questioning how 300 children could be taken at once.

She concluded that the "authorities is failing to act to address insecurity," and voiced approval for external intervention to "resolve this crisis."

Continuing Safety Challenges

For years, heavily armed bandit groups have been conducting killings and abductions for ransom in rural areas of northwest and middle Nigeria, where government control is minimal.

While no group has claimed responsibility for the latest incidents, criminal groups seeking financial compensation often attack schools in rural areas where protection is inadequate.

These groups maintain bases in extensive woodland areas straddling multiple states in western Nigeria.

While these bandits have no political motives and are primarily driven by financial gain, their increasing alliance with extremist groups from the north-east has become a significant cause of concern for officials and security analysts alike.