Gunmen Kidnap 25 Girls in Kebbi School
By Favour Nwankwo
Not fewer than 25 girls were kidnapped from the Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School in Maga, a town in Danko-Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State during the early hours of Monday, November 17. The attack happened around 5 a.m. when armed bandits stormed the school.
During the raid, the vice principal, Malam Hassan Makuku, was shot and killed while trying to protect the students. The attackers came heavily armed and faced little resistance. Witnesses said the bandits moved quickly and quietly, causing panic in the community.
A resident, Aliyu Yakubu, shared, “They came early in the morning and took the girls without any fight. The vice principal was shot as he tried to protect them.” The school and surrounding area are now in mourning, and families are desperate for news of their daughters.
Security forces, including police, soldiers, and local vigilantes, have started searching nearby forests and escape routes. The attackers are believed to have fled toward Zamfara State, which has seen similar violence in recent years. Kebbi State Commissioner Bello Muhammad Sani confirmed that efforts are underway to rescue the girls.
President Bola Tinubu has ordered an immediate rescue operation. “We must do everything to bring these girls home safely,” a government spokesperson said. The attack has drawn attention from international figures as well. U.S. lawmaker Riley Moore posted, “Please join me in praying for the 25 girls who have been kidnapped and for the repose of the soul of their vice principal, who was killed.”
This kidnapping is part of a troubling pattern in northern Nigeria, where schools have been targeted by criminal gangs. Many communities in the region live in fear, and parents are now questioning the safety of sending their children to school.
Authorities are urging anyone with information to come forward. For now, the people of Maga wait in hope, praying for the safe return of their daughters.