Gunmen have kidnapped scores of children from an Islamic seminary in central Nigeria, in the latest in a string of such incidents plaguing the country.

Some 200 children were at the Salihy Tanko Islamic school in Niger state on Sunday during the attack, however, it’s unclear how many were abducted.

This comes a day after 14 students from a university in northwestern Nigeria were freed after 40 days in captivity.

Niger state police spokesman Wasiu Abiodun said the attackers arrived on motorbikes in Tegina town and started shooting indiscriminately, killing one resident and injuring another.

It’s alleged that the attackers initially took more than 100 children but later sent back those between the ages of four and 12 years old.

Such seizures have become a frequent way for criminals to collect ransoms. Since last December, and before yesterday’s attack, 730 children and students had been kidnapped in Nigeria.

[Header image: DW]