Gunmen abduct primary school teachers in Nigeria, 5th kidnapping since Dec

The security commissioner in the northwestern state of Kaduna has confirmed the kidnapping, which marks the fifth attack of its kind since December.

Nigerian gunmen have kidnapped three primary school teachers in the northwestern state Kaduna, the state's security commissioner said on Monday. 

The attack came just a few days after the kidnapping of dozens others from another school in Kaduna. 

In a statement, Kaduna State Security Commissioner Samuel Aruwan said authorities "can confirm that three teachers, Rabiu Salisu, Umar Hassan, and Bala Adamu have been kidnapped." Aruwan said that two pupils originally feared kidnapped "took to their heels in the course of the commotion, as the bandits invaded the premises on motorcycles."     

Aruwan went on to say, "No single pupil was kidnapped from the school. Other than the three teachers previously mentioned, no staff or pupil of the school is missing following the attack."

Authorities have not identified the gunmen.

Fifth attack since December 

The attack in Kaduna was at least the fifth kidnapping of schoolchildren in Nigeria since December.

On Saturday, Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari responded to the previous kidnapping, saying he would not let bandits destroy the country's educational system as he ordered the military to return the students to their families.

In December 2020, hundreds of schoolboys were kidnapped in the northern city Katsina, followed by an attack in February where gunmen captured 42 people, including 27 students from an all-boys boarding school in central Niger state.

Gunmen launched another attack later in February, abducting 279 schoolgirls in nearby Zamfara state. Most students were eventually released.

The Islamist group Boko Haram group had previously kidnapped students in Nigeria.