In a deeply disturbing attack early on the morning of November 17, 2025, armed bandits stormed the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School (GGCSS) in Maga, located in Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State. According to the Kebbi Police Command, 25 female students were abducted and one staff member was tragically killed.
What the Police Are Saying
The Kebbi State Police Command, via its spokesperson CSP Nafi’u Abubakar, confirmed that the raid began around 4 a.m., when the attackers scaled the fence of the school and opened fire with sophisticated weapons. In response, police tactical units stationed nearby engaged the bandits in a gun duel. Unfortunately, despite the security forces’ efforts, the abductors had already taken the students from their hostel by the time the shootout occurred.
CSP Abubakar revealed that during the attack, Hassan Makuku, identified as the school’s Vice Principal, was shot and killed, while another individual, named Ali Shehu, was injured.
To secure the area and track down the assailants, a combined security force—including additional police tactical teams, military personnel, and local vigilantes—was immediately deployed. These units are now combing the nearby forests and suspected escape routes in a coordinated rescue and recovery effort.
Government Response & Community Tension
The local government chairman for Danko/Wasagu LGA, Hussaini Bena, confirmed the abduction, describing chaos and panic across the community after the attack. In the aftermath, parents and residents have expressed deep fear for the safety of the missing students, while calling on authorities to accelerate rescue efforts.
A State Under Pressure
This incident adds to a troubling pattern of armed attacks on schools in northwestern Nigeria. Kebbi State, like some of its neighbors, has faced repeated security threats from bandit gangs that often target educational institutions, especially boarding schools, for abduction.
What’s Next
- Rescue Operation: Security forces are intensifying their search for the missing girls. Their deployment in surrounding forests indicates a high-stakes mission to bring them back safely.
- Public Appeal: Police are urging residents to remain calm but vigilant, while calling on the public to support ongoing security operations with credible information.
- Government Accountability: The Kebbi State Government, already on-site through the deputy governor, has vowed to press for the swift return of the girls and has condemned the attack as part of a growing wave of terrorism.
- Preventive Measures: In the long run, this attack could force a re-evaluation of security protocols around schools—especially boarding schools—in vulnerable regions.
The Bigger Picture
The abduction of the 25 schoolgirls in Kebbi is not an isolated event. It underscores a larger crisis in the country’s northwest, where banditry has evolved into a sophisticated criminal enterprise. Schools, once considered sanctuaries of learning, are increasingly becoming targets of violence. The implications for children’s education, community trust, and human security are grave.
This incident should serve as a wake-up call for federal and state authorities: more robust protective measures, better intelligence gathering, and stronger on-ground security must become the norm—not the exception.
