Armed gunmen abducted 25 girls from a boarding school in northwestern Nigeria early on Monday, November 17, 2025, in a brazen raid that left one staff member dead and another injured, authorities say.
The attack occurred at about 4 a.m. at the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, located in the Danko-Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State.
According to Police Chief Superintendent Nafiu Abubakar, the assailants carried “sophisticated weapons” and clashed with guards before scaling the school fence and forcing their way into the girls’ dormitories.
Local reports and eyewitnesses say the vice-principal, Hassan Yakubu Makuku, was fatally shot as he attempted to protect the students. A security guard also sustained injuries during the raid.
One resident said attackers arrived on motorcycles and moved quickly to overwhelm the school’s defenses.
In response, security agencies have launched a coordinated search and rescue operation. Police tactical units, military personnel, and local vigilantes are combing nearby forests and suspected escape routes for the kidnapped girls.
Kebbi State officials have confirmed the gravity of the situation; Deputy Governor Umar Tafida has been sent to the scene to assess the unfolding crisis on behalf of Governor Nasir Idris.
The incident underscores the persistent threat posed by armed “bandit” groups in Nigeria’s northwest, which have repeatedly targeted schools for ransom.
Despite the presence of military checkpoints in the region — including one reportedly less than a kilometre from the school — attackers appear to have navigated around security measures with chilling ease.
So far, no group has claimed responsibility for the abduction. But the incident draws parallels with earlier school kidnappings in Nigeria, such as the 2014 Chibok abduction and other mass raids by criminal gangs operating in poorly policed areas.
