Twenty-five students of Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School, Maga, in Kebbi State, were abducted yesterday after armed bandits stormed the school at dawn, killing the vice principal, Malam Hassan Makuku.
Residents said the attackers entered the school around 5 a.m., operated without resistance, and caused widespread panic. Witnesses recounted that Makuku was shot while attempting to shield students from the gunmen.
Maga, located in Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area, has suffered repeated attacks in recent months. A resident, Aliyu Yakubu, said the bandits arrived “in large numbers” and gained access to the school after firing indiscriminately.
Another witness, Sulaiman Abdullahi, said several bodies were seen within the school premises following the invasion, though identities were yet to be confirmed. By 8 a.m., Air Force jets were sighted over the area, while security forces cordoned off the community.
Locals have continued offering prayers for the slain vice principal, describing his death as a painful loss.
Police Confirm Abduction
The spokesperson for the Kebbi State Police Command, CSP Nafiu Abubakar, confirmed the incident, saying the attackers scaled the school’s fence and opened fire before escaping with 25 female students.
He said police tactical teams engaged the bandits but the girls had already been moved out of the hostel.
Parents and residents are waiting anxiously for official updates on the condition of the abducted students.
Kebbi Government Condemns Attack
The Kebbi State Government described the abductions as “barbaric and unacceptable.”
Chief Press Secretary to Governor Nasir Idris, Ahmed Idris, said the government sympathised with the families of the victims and assured them that efforts were underway to rescue the girls.
He added that the governor visited the scene alongside state officials and traditional leaders, describing the incident as heartbreaking.
Tinubu Orders Immediate Rescue Operation
President Bola Tinubu has directed security agencies to urgently rescue the abducted students.
In a statement, the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, said the President strongly condemned the killing of school officials and reaffirmed his commitment to protecting Nigerian children.
He said the government had issued clear instructions to intelligence and military units to locate and safely recover the girls, stressing that perpetrators would be brought to justice.
Atiku Decries Rising Insecurity
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar condemned the attack, warning that Nigeria’s security situation had reached “intolerable levels.”
Atiku, who also condemned recent killings and abductions in Zamfara, Plateau, Benue, and Kano, urged the Federal Government to overhaul its security architecture and deploy more personnel to vulnerable areas.
He insisted that no nation could progress while its citizens lived under constant threat.
Fresh Abduction in Nasarawa
Meanwhile, suspected bandits abducted Alhaji Musa Usman, father of the former chairman of the Nasarawa State Universal Basic Education Board, Mohammed Musa Dan-Azumi.
The assailants reportedly stormed his residence in Daddere, Obi Local Government Area, around 8 p.m. Sunday, firing shots before whisking him away. Residents said several communities in the state had been hit by renewed attacks in the past week, leading to deaths, panic, and disruptions to farming activities.
They appealed for urgent government action to halt the rising wave of violence.
