Armed bandits raided a school dormitory in Zamfara overnight, raising fears of another mass kidnapping in the Northern region.
Reports say more than 300 girls are unaccounted for after a headcount of remaining students, said a teacher at the Government Girls Secondary School in Jangebe.
He said the attack happened around 1:00 am (midnight GMT) on Friday, but did not provide details on the number of students present in the school at the time.
Heavily-armed criminal gangs in northwest and central Nigeria have stepped up attacks in recent years, kidnapping for ransom, raping and pillaging.
Just last week, 42 people were taken by a gang from a school in nearby Niger state.
In December, more than 300 boys were kidnapped from a school in December in Kankara, President Muhammadu Buhari’s home state of Katsina, while he was visiting the region.
The boys were later released but the incident triggered outrage and memories of the kidnappings of schoolgirls by jihadists in Dapchi and Chibok that shocked the world.
“I’m on my way to Jangebe. I received a call that the school was invaded by bandits who took away schoolgirls. I have two daughters in the school,” said a source.
