Kidnappers abduct more than 300 schoolgirls in Nigeria

Surge in armed militancy in north of country has led to widespread breakdown of security

Police have said 317 schoolgirls have been abducted in north-west Nigeria, the third mass kidnap of students in three months in an escalating wave of rural attacks blamed on groups of armed bandits.

The schoolgirls were abducted at about 1am from the town of Jangebe, Zamfara state, from the Jangebe Government Girls' Secondary School, police said on Friday.