Nigerian gunmen have attacked a school in the northwest of the county, kidnapping at least 287 students. This is the second mass kidnapping in the West African country in less than a week.

According to locals, attackers surrounded the government school in Kuriga town in Kaduna State on Thursday just as students were about to start their school day at around 8am

Authorities had previously said more than 100 students were taken hostage in the attack.

However, Sani Abdullahi, the school principal, told Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani during his visit to the city that the total number of missing persons was 287 according to a headcount.

“We will make sure every child comes back. We are cooperating with the security agencies,” the governor told the villagers. It is unclear how he plans to achieve this, as previous mass kidnappings have not been solved.

No group claimed responsibility for Thursday's attack, although blame fell on armed groups, mostly Muslim herders, who have been accused of violent attacks and kidnappings for ransom in recent decades.

As CBN News has reported for years, Islamist extremist groups, including Boko Haram and the Islamic State, operate freely in parts of Nigeria.

And groups like the Fulani herdsmen, also known as the Fulani militia, are often radical Muslims who target Christians with relentless attacks on villages across the West African country.

According to Open Doors USA, the Hausa-Fulani Muslim herdsmen number about 38 million people who speak different languages ​​and live a nomadic lifestyle. Members of the group have varying degrees of adherence to Islam.

Open Doors attributes the rise of extremist groups to the presidency of Muhammadu Buhari, which “made Nigeria the epicenter of targeted violence against the church.”

Kidnappings of students from schools in northern Nigeria are widespread and have been a growing concern since 2014, when Islamic extremists kidnapped 276 students in Chibok village in Borno state. Nearly 100 of these girls were never recovered.

Recently, kidnappings have been concentrated in the northwest and central regions, where dozens of armed groups often target villagers and travelers to extort large ransoms.

Open Doors Southern Africa calls on Christians to pray for their fellow believers in Nigeria.

“Pray for your Nigerian family living in the most violent place in the world for Christians,” they wrote on X.

The group noted that 11 Christians are killed every day in Nigeria.

Thursday's attack came just days after extremists kidnapped more than 200 people, mostly women and children, in northeastern Nigeria.

Women, children and students are often the targets of mass kidnappings in the conflict-affected northern region, and many victims are only released after large ransoms are paid.

Observers say both attacks are a reminder of Nigeria's worsening security crisis, which led to the deaths of hundreds of people in 2023.

Bola Tinubu was elected Nigeria's president last year after promising to end the violence.

However, there has been “no noticeable improvement in the security situation” under Tinubu, said Oluwole Ojewale, West and Central Africa researcher at the Africa-focused Institute for Security Studies.

US senators warn: “Christians murdered because of their faith”

Meanwhile, three U.S. senators sent a letter to the U.S. State Department on Thursday urging the agency “not to stand idly by while Nigerian Christians continue to be murdered for their faith.”

The US State Department removed Nigeria from the Countries of Particular Concern (CPC) list in 2021, but under the International Religious Freedom Act, Nigeria meets the legal definition of “engaging in or tolerating serious violations of religious freedom.” to be classified as “Countries of Particular Concern” (CPC) CPC, International Christian Concern (ICC) reports.

“We remain deeply concerned about the deteriorating state of religious freedom in Nigeria and your Department’s continued failure to respond appropriately using the resources at your disposal,” said Senators Josh Hawley (R-MO), Mike Braun (R-IN) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) wrote to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

The senators point to a recent attack that occurred last Christmas.

“From December 23 to 25, 2023, Islamic extremists murdered at least 140 people, including women and children, and injured and displaced countless others in this senseless violence. “It was a targeted attack carried out with shocking brutality,” they explained.

“As you know, violence against Christians is widespread in Nigeria. “About 5,000 Nigerian Christians have reportedly been murdered in sectarian violence in each of the last two years,” they continued. “You cannot stand by and watch as Nigerian Christians continue to be murdered for their faith. We urge you to immediately use the resources at your disposal and re-designate Nigeria as a CPC.”

The ICC also wrote a letter to Congress in January requesting a congressional hearing on the State Department's decision not to designate Nigeria as a CPC.

“It is imperative for the United States to actively address these issues and ensure that the principles of religious freedom are upheld worldwide,” wrote more than 40 international religious experts.

***Please sign up for the CBN newsletter and download the CBN News app to ensure you continue to receive the latest news from a distinctly Christian perspective.***