Gunmen have abducted students and teachers from a primary school in northern Nigeria’s Kaduna state, an official and eyewitnesses have said.

This is the first time a primary school has been raided by gangs suspected to be carrying out abductions for ransom.

Since December about 800 secondary school students have been seized.

All of them were later released, but 39 mostly female students are still in captivity following their abduction from a college in Kaduna on Thursday.

In the latest attack, gunmen on motorcycles stormed the primary school in Rama village in Birnin Gwari local government area as children were arriving for classes in the morning, eyewitnesses told the BBC.

Security forces and local vigilantes are trying to pursue the gang.

Kaduna state commissioner for internal security Samuel Aruwan said they were still trying to ascertain the number of pupils and teachers abducted.

The abductions have raised concerns about the growing insecurity in northern Nigeria, and the failure to protect schools.