Armed bandits stormed a girls’ boarding school in Kebbi State before dawn, abducting 25 students and killing the vice principal in a well-coordinated attack.
On November 17, 2025, at approximately 4:00 AM, heavily armed gunmen carried out a dawn raid on the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School (GGCSS) in Maga, Danko-Wasagu LGA, Kebbi State, abducting 25 female students and killing the school's vice principal, Malam Hassan Yakubu Makuku. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
According to the Kebbi State Police Command, the assailants arrived on motorcycles and exchanged gunfire with on-duty police tactical units. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1} Eyewitnesses reported that the attackers scaled the school’s perimeter fence, entered the dormitories, and forcibly took the girls to an unknown location. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
During the invasion, Vice Principal Makuku attempted to protect the students and was fatally shot. Another staff member, identified as a security guard named Ali Shehu, sustained a gunshot injury. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
In response, the Nigeria Police Force, backed by military personnel and local vigilante groups, launched a search-and-rescue operation. Officers are combing nearby forests, known bandit routes, and potential hideouts to locate the abducted girls. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4} The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu, later visited the area and ordered troops to pursue the bandits relentlessly. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) condemned the attack, calling on the federal government to prioritize the safe return of the abducted students. :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6} NANS also criticized the recurring trend of school kidnappings, urging intelligence-driven preventive security measures around educational institutions. :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}
President Bola Tinubu instructed Vice President Kashim Shettima to travel to Kebbi State to offer solidarity to affected families and personally oversee the rescue efforts. :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8} Meanwhile, First Lady Oluremi Tinubu expressed her deep sorrow at the tragic loss of life and urged continuous prayers for the safe return of the girls. :contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9}
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. :contentReference[oaicite:10]{index=10} Authorities have not confirmed any ransom demands, but the modus operandi mirrors similar bandit kidnappings in northwest Nigeria. :contentReference[oaicite:11]{index=11}
The abduction has reignited fears over the safety of students in the region. Families continue to wait anxiously for news, while security agencies maintain 24-hour operations to bring the girls home.