Hundreds of schoolgirls abducted in Nigeria, government official says - CNN

The schoolgirls were taken from their hostels by gunmen who raided the Government Girls' Secondary School in the town of Jangebe, a high-ranking government official with knowledge of the incident told CNN.

A police officer was killed in the attack, according to the source, who did not want to be named as he did not have permission to speak on record.

"They came on about 20 motorcycles and they marched the abducted girls into the forest," the source said.

Later on Friday the force said in a statement that a "heavily-armed" joint search and rescue operation had been launched.

The distraught parents of some of the schoolgirls spoke to CNN on Friday, with one saying her daughter was apparently seized in her pajamas.

"My daughter is among those who were taken away because I saw her things left behind," Jummai Haruna, mother of Hafsat Abubakar, told CNN.

"I believe she was taken away wearing only her sleeping clothes because I found her hijab and her school uniform."

"I miss her so much already.

They also threw stones at her, chanting 'Allah will punish you' and 'We will not forgive you,'" Jangebi said.

Amnesty International said the incident amounted to a "war crime."

The latest abduction comes barely two weeks after at least 42 people, including students, were kidnapped in a similar raid on a state school in Niger state, in Nigeria's Middle Belt region.

We utterly condemn the attack and call on those responsible to release the girls immediately and for the government to take steps to ensure their safe release and the safety of all other schoolchildren in Nigeria."

"Children should feel safe at home and at school at all times -- and parents should not need to worry for the safety of their children when they send them off to school in the morning," said Hawkins.

Many parents are worried about the safety of their children in schools in the north of Nigeria.