Gunmen stormed the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, in Kebbi State before dawn, killing a school vice-principal and abducting 25 schoolgirls. The incident has reignited fears over school safety in Nigeria’s northwest, triggering a national and local response.

According to the Kebbi State Police Command, the attackers, heavily armed and believed to be bandits, breached the school perimeter at around 4 a.m. They exchanged fire with a police tactical team before pulling the girls from their dormitories.  Tragically, the school’s Vice Principal, Hassan Yakubu Makuku, was shot during the invasion. Another staff member was also wounded.

Two Girls Escape, Hunt Continues for the Rest

In a rare glimmer of hope, one of the abducted girls managed to escape on the same day and returned home. School officials confirm she fled through nearby forest paths. 

Another student, who was not confirmed among the 25, also escaped early in the attack. 

Security forces, including police tactical units, the military, and local vigilantes, are now on a full-scale manhunt. They are combing nearby forests and suspected escape routes to rescue the missing girls. The governor of Kebbi, Nasir Idris, has publicly pledged his administration’s full support to the rescue effort, promising increased collaboration with security agencies. 

National Leaders, Students, and Civil Society Respond

The Federal Government has condemned the abduction, saying the protection of schoolchildren remains a top priority. President Bola Tinubu has ordered swift action to rescue the girls, and has sent Vice President Kashim Shettima to Kebbi to sympathize with the families and oversee the response.

Meanwhile, NANS (National Association of Nigerian Students) has strongly condemned the attack, calling it a “dark day for students.” The association demanded that the government put in place proactive security systems around schools, especially girls’ boarding schools rather than reactive measures. In the National Assembly, the Senate passed a motion urging immediate rescue of the students and proposed the recruitment of 100,000 additional military personnel to beef up internal security. A special ad-hoc committee has also been set up to investigate how funds allocated to the “Safe Schools Initiative” are being used. 

What We Know About the Attack and Its Aftermath

Sources say the attackers numbered in their dozens, and witnesses reported they moved swiftly and with precision. The violence sparked shock and fear in the Massa community, where many are calling for justice not just for the missing girls, but for the broader issue of school kidnappings in northern Nigeria.

Local and state governments promise regular updates; security agencies say they are coordinating with community intelligence networks and forest scouts to track the perpetrators. Governor Idris has appealed directly to residents for any credible information that might lead to the girls’ release.

For the parents, the wait is agonising. Many are gathering near the school, praying, and sharing intelligence. Community leaders are supporting security efforts, but frustration is growing over how this could happen again.

The abduction casts another shadow over the recurring crisis of banditry in Nigeria’s northwest, where schools remain vulnerable despite repeated pledges to secure them. Families, citizens, and student groups are demanding concrete reform, not just rescue.