Why Rebel Group Boko Haram Attacked A School, Kidnapped Over 300 Boys

Jihadist rebel group Boko Haram has taken responsibility for kidnapping hundreds of Nigerian boys from a scientific school as part of their crusade against Western education. The Nigerian government says it has already located the kidnappers’ hideout where the boys are held and is in negotiations for their release.

Gunmen on motorcycles on Friday attacked the Government Science Secondary School in Kankara, Nigeria. Armed with AK-47 assault rifles, they took at least 330 boys back to their hideout. Hundreds of the school’s more than 600 students managed to escape in the chaos.

A statement from Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari said the military located the kidnappers on Saturday and exchanged gunfire before entering into negotiations.

Reuters and the Daily Nigerian received audio messages from a man purportedly Boko Haram’s leader, Abubakar Shekau, taking responsibility for the attack.

He said Boko Haram's motive was to discourage Western education. The phrase "Boko Haram" translates to “Western education is forbidden.”

“What happened in [the state of] Katsina was done to promote Islam and discourage un-Islamic practices,” said Shekau in an audio message.

ITV reports that government officials have also received ransom demands from the region’s ubiquitous bandit gangs, raising questions as to whether Boko Haram is the only group involved. Some eyewitnesses also say that the bandits conducted the raid.

Boko Haram was responsible for the high-profile kidnapping of hundreds of girls in 2014, around 100 of which have not been returned. If a statement from the mother of one of the kidnapped boys is any indication, their attacks on schools might be having the desired effect.

“No more boarding school again,” Zeinab Muhamed told Reuters. “I will never talk to the government because it’s been three days now. They have been promising that our children will return home, but we don’t see it happening.”

Both Boko Haram and the Nigerian government are being investigated by the U.N. for crimes against humanity. Amnesty International says more than 10,000 civilians have died in government custody during investigations into Boko Haram's insurgency in the northeast.

The rebellion has displaced more than a million people and killed thousands.