Gunmen Storm Schools and Kidnap Dozens of Children in Nigeria

Horror erupted in northeastern Nigeria after heavily armed gunmen stormed multiple schools and kidnapped more than 50 children — some as young as just 2 years old — in a chilling daytime raid that left parents screaming and entire communities in panic.

The shocking mass abduction unfolded Friday morning in the town of Mussa in Nigeria’s troubled Borno state, a region long terrorized by Islamic extremists linked to Boko Haram and ISIS-affiliated factions.

According to witnesses, the attackers blasted gunfire into the air before swarming three separate schools and dragging terrified children out of classrooms. Locals say the gunmen then used the kidnapped kids as human shields while fleeing the area on motorbikes, preventing security forces from opening fire.

Parents could only watch in horror from a nearby hillside as the convoy disappeared with their children.

Among the schools targeted were Government Day Secondary School, Mussa Central Primary School, and the State Universal Basic Education Board primary school. Teachers said most of the kidnapped victims were toddlers and young children between the ages of 2 and 5.

One devastated father told the BBC his wife collapsed in tears after their 6-year-old daughter was taken.

“We could hear gunshots everywhere,” said school headmaster Abdu Dunama. “The armed men stormed into classrooms and started grabbing children. It was chaos.”

Dunama said at least 34 children were snatched from his school alone.

Some older students reportedly escaped by running into nearby bushes while bullets flew through the air. Witnesses said the attackers fired randomly as residents scrambled for cover.

No terror group has officially claimed responsibility yet, but local reports strongly suspect Boko Haram militants were behind the attack. The Islamist terror organization has spent years waging a bloody insurgency across northeastern Nigeria, frequently targeting schools, villages, and civilians.

The latest kidnapping is a grim reminder of the infamous 2014 abduction of nearly 300 schoolgirls from Chibok by Boko Haram terrorists — a crisis that sparked international outrage and the viral “Bring Back Our Girls” campaign.

Borno state remains one of the most dangerous regions in Africa, with residents trapped between violent extremist factions, mass displacement, and weak security protections. Kidnappings for ransom and terror operations have surged again in recent months, despite years of military crackdowns.

Local families are now desperately pleading with the Nigerian government to rescue the children before they vanish into militant-controlled territory.

The horrifying incident comes just days after President Donald Trump revealed that U.S. forces working alongside Nigerian troops helped eliminate a top ISIS commander in Africa.

In a Truth Social post, Trump announced that Abu-Bilal al-Minuki — described as ISIS’ global second-in-command — had been killed in a joint operation.

“He will no longer terrorize the people of Africa, or help plan operations to target Americans,” Trump wrote. “With his removal, ISIS’s global operation is greatly diminished.”

While the successful operation marked a major counterterrorism victory, the school kidnapping highlights the brutal reality still facing civilians across parts of Africa where extremist groups continue to operate with terrifying reach.