Gunmen abduct 25 girls from a Nigerian high school and kill one staff member

Gunmen attacked a high school in northwestern Nigeria before dawn on Monday, abducting 25 schoolgirls and killing at least one staffer, authorities said of the latest abduction of students in the region.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the abductions from the boarding school in Kebbi state and their motivation is unclear.

Nigeria is facing a multi-dimensional security challenge, specifically from amorphous groups of armed bandits who specialize in kidnapping for ransom — sometimes totaling thousands of dollars — and have been responsible for several high-profile abductions across Nigeria’s northern region. Kidnappings, attacks on villages and along major roads have become common because of the limited security presence.

Read more: AP