More than 300 Nigerian children abducted from school

The tally was changed "after a verification exercise and a final census was carried out", according to a statement issued by the Most Rev Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, chairman of the Niger chapter of CAN, who visited the school on Friday.

The school kidnapping in the state's remote Papiri community happened four days after 25 schoolchildren were seized in similar circumstances in the neighbouring state of Kebbi's Maga town, which is 170 kilometres away.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the abductions and authorities have said tactical squads have been deployed alongside local hunters to rescue the children.