Thousands of people demonstrated in Nigeria’s northwest Katsina State on Sunday to demand the return of hundreds of kidnapped boys.

The students were kidnapped from the all-boys Government Science school in Kankara by supposedly armed bandits.

Attacks by armed gangs, widely referred to as bandits, are common throughout northwestern Nigeria. 

The groups typically attack civilians, stealing or kidnapping them for ransom. 

Islamist militants, who attack security and civilian targets, are more common in the northeastern part of the country. 

The kidnapping on Friday came as President Muhammadu Buhari was visiting the region.

There is growing anger with the precarious security situation in Nigeria. 

Late last month, Islamist militants killed scores of farmers in northeastern Borno state, beheading some of them. 

Journalist Musa Tijani Ahmed has been speaking to my colleague Adolphus Mawolo about the situation.