Armed men have attacked a Catholic school in a western region of Nigeria and abducted several schoolchildren and staff, days after 25 schoolgirls were abducted in a neighbouring state.

The attack and abductions early on Friday took place at St Mary's School, a Catholic institution in Agwara local government's Papiri community, said Abubakar Usman, the secretary to the Niger state government.

He did not disclose the number of students and staff abducted.

Local media broadcaster Arise TV said 52 schoolchildren were abducted.

The Niger State Police Command said the abductions took place in the early hours of Friday and that military and security forces have since been deployed to the community.

The statement by the secretary to the Niger state government said the incident occurred despit

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