136 students abducted from Nigeria school: Officials

Lagos: Authorities have confirmed that 136 students were abducted by gunmen in northern Nigeria earlier this week, including some as young as 5 years old, the school's owner said Thursday.

Gunmen on motorcycles targeted Salihu Tanko Islamic School on Sunday, killing one person and abducting three teachers as well, school owner Umar Idris told The Associated Press.

Idris said the number could be higher, though, because school officials have not been able to reach all of the parents to confirm whether their children are back home.

“We have sent out a message asking parents who have not yet reported to the school to do so,” Idris said, adding that three teachers



also were kidnapped.

Other preschoolers were left behind as they could not keep pace when the gunmen hurriedly moved those abducted into the forest.

“The 11 children were mainly aged between 3 and 4 and they lacked the stamina to keep pace with the gunmen, so they were abandoned on the way,” Idris said, adding that the preschoolers were found hours after the attack.

The school's pupils range in age between 3 and 14, and parents are concerned that some of the youngest kidnapping victims may be unable to survive in the forest.

Gunmen have abducted hundreds of students in northern Nigeria this year.