Boko Haram claims responsibility for abduction of 337 Nigerian school boys

Jihadist terrorist organization Boko Haram, on December 15, claimed the responsibility for the abduction of 330 Nigerian students. A short audio clip shared by SITE features a man stating that Boko Haram was behind the abduction of scores of schoolboys in Northwestern Nigeria. The man in the clip named Abubakar Shekau claimed to be the leader of the Africa based terrorist organization.

While the authenticity of the message still remains unidentified, a spokesperson of the Nigerian government said that all the students were still unaccounted for. Speaking to CNN later, a government official said the members of terror group had been in touch a teacher from the school since long, a revelation that has now raised hopes of a ransom demand. Meanwhile, experts have opined that the school was targeted to facilitate Boko Haram’s long-standing mission to quell western education.

Read: Over 300 Students Still Missing After Nigeria School Attack

Read: UN Body Condemns Abduction Of Children In Nigeria, Calls For Immediate Release

337 kids abducted 

According to Nigerian authorities, armed gunmen on December 11 stormed the Government Science Secondary School in Kankara, Katsina State, and kidnapped over 400 students, which is half the number of children who attended the school on the day of the incident. As per reports, students escaped kidnapping by hiding in bushes and other areas. 

The unidentified attackers are reportedly using the same tactics as members of another terrorist group called Boko Haram, who on several occasions in the past have attacked schools and villages to kidnap young children as part of their recruiting strategy. The Friday's attack on the all-boys boarding school is believed to have been carried out by bandit gangs, most probably with the same motive of recruiting.   

Read: Over 300 Students Still Missing After Nigeria School Attack

The Islamic extremist group has carried out mass abduction of students in the past as well. The most serious took place in April 2014, when more than 270 schoolgirls were taken from their dormitory at the Government Secondary School in Chibok in northeastern Borno State. Six years after, almost a 100 girls re still missing. 

Read: Extremists Kill 12, Kidnap Others In Nigeria, Residents Say

( With inputs from ANI)

Image: AP