The gunmen took away 140 students, only 25 students escaped, local sources reported.

Kaduna state police spokesman Mohammed Jalige confirmed the incident, without giving details on the number of students abducted.

Heavily-armed bandits often raid villages to loot, steal cattle and abduct for ransom in the northwest and central Nigeria, however, since the start of the year they have increasingly targeted schools and colleges since the start of the year. (ILKHA)