Boko Haram Islamists abduct as many as 200 girls from boarding school in Nigeria

Nigeria's militant Islamist group Boko Haram reportedly abducted 200 girls from their boarding school in northeastern Nigeria.

The heavily armed Islamist group, who arrived in trucks, vans and buses, stormed the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok when the girls were sleeping in their dormitories.

According to CNN, the group has recently stepped up attacks in the region, and its leader released a video last month threatening to kidnap girls from schools.

Emmanuel Sam, an education official in Chibok confirmed that many girls were abducted by the rampaging gunmen who stormed the school in a convoy of vehicles.

Meanwhile, about a dozen girls managed to give the abductors a slip after the vehicles broke down.

One of the girls who managed to escape said that the group forced the girls into trucks, buses and vans, some of which were carrying food stuffs and petrol.

She said that they left with them in a convoy into the bush, adding that a group of motorcyclists flanked the convoy to ensure none of the girls escaped.

The group is against western education and has previously launched several attacks on schools in Kano, Nigeria.