Lagos, Nigeria (CNN) Armed men kidnapped 79 children from a boarding school in Cameroon's Northwest region, a local government official told CNN Monday.

Louis Marie Begne, spokesman for Cameroon's Northwest government, said the men entered the Presbyterian Secondary School in Bamenda, overwhelmed the guard and forced him to take them to the sleeping children.

The men took 79 boys and girls and tried to drive away with the school's minibus. The driver pretended there was a fault with the vehicle so the men took off with the children on foot.

Begne said a crisis meeting was held Monday morning, and the Cameroonian army, police and military police are looking for the children.

The BIR---the Rapid Intervention Battalion, an elite military unit -- is also involved, and helicopters are in the air looking for the youngsters.