Sokoto

The group emerged few years ago in some villages in Sokoto and Kebbi states and people had notified authorities of its existence but nothing was done.

Several accidental air strikes have occurred in recent months including a Christmas Day attack that killed at least 10 civilians in neighbouring Sokoto state.

The gunmen in the latest attack invaded the Gidan Bakuso village of the Gada Local Government Area in Sokoto state at about 1 a.m. local time and headed to the Islamic school where they seized the children from their hostel before security forces could arrive, Sokoto police spokesman Ahmad Rufa’i told the AP.

Their delegation was led by former Nigerian military leader Gen Abdulsalami Abubakar and also included Nigeria's most senior Muslim leader, the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa'adu Abubakar III.

He wields huge influence in Niger, part of which used to be in the Sokoto Caliphate, a powerful kingdom before colonial rule.