Nigeria police detain 3 suspects in a rare school attack in the south of the country

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Three gunmen who allegedly stormed two primary schools in southwestern Nigeria in a rare attack have been detained, police said Saturday.

Authorities are still assessing the number of school children who may have been abducted, police spokesman Ayanlade Olayinka told The Associated Press.

Gunmen attacked two primary schools in Oriire district of Oyo state, about 220 kilometers (135 miles) from Lagos, early on Friday. Olayinka said the suspects identified by the community were arrested.

Police did not say whether they were looking for more suspects.

School attacks generally occur in the northern region, where most armed groups operate. The attack took place hours apart another attackOn Friday, suspected jihadist militants attacked a secondary school in Nigeria’s northeastern Borno state.

Kidnapping of schoolchildren is common in Nigeria, where the government is fighting various armed groups across the country. Analysts say armed groups, including the Islamic militant group Boko Haram, target schools, often in exchange for high ransoms, because they tend to attract government attention.

Last year, two mass kidnappings The suspension of more than 300 children from schools in the conflict-torn northern region has shaken the West African country.