KANO, Nigeria 

Over 280 primary school students and their teachers have been abducted by armed gunmen in northwestern Nigeria, with local authorities confirming the attack to Anadolu on Friday.

The attackers, locally known as bandits, stormed the Local Education Authority Primary School in Kuriga, a town in the Chikun local government area, on Thursday, according to a spokesperson of the Nigeria Police Force command in Kaduna state, Mansir Hassan.

Hassan said a tactical team had been deployed to pursue the criminals and rescue the victims.

School official Muhammad Abdullahi explained that some staff, including the head teacher, had also been abducted.

He disclosed that 187 children are missing in GSS Kuriga, while 25 of the 125 children missing from the primary school have returned.

According to Abdullahi, headcounts suggest that about 280 students were abducted, though the count is still ongoing.

The attackers entered the school and began shooting indiscriminately, he said.

Eyewitness Abdulwasiu Hameed said the bandits took the kidnapped schoolchildren and staff into the bushes, while opening sporadic fire to keep security forces at a distance.

Visiting the school on Thursday, Kaduna Governor Uba Sani said the exact number of abductees was unclear but vowed to secure their release.

Parents and residents have blamed the kidnapping on a lack of security in the area. Kidnappings and mass abductions are common in Nigeria where residents and security forces face the threat of Boko Haram terrorists and other criminal groups.