A young female student who was one of 25 individuals abducted from a boarding school in northwestern Nigeria managed to flee and reach safety, according to the school’s principal in a statement to The Associated Press on Tuesday. The abduction took place during the early hours of Monday when armed assailants invaded the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga town, Kebbi state.
Reports from local law enforcement indicated that the attackers breached the school compound by scaling the fence, engaged in a shootout with police officers, and then proceeded to abduct the girls while also causing the death of a school staff member. Although no specific group has claimed responsibility for the abduction, it is a common tactic for bandits to target schools, travelers, and rural communities for ransom kidnappings.
Incidents of mass abductions at schools are frequent in northern Nigeria, particularly in areas like Kebbi, Zamfara, and Sokoto states, known for ongoing conflicts and the presence of criminal gangs. Following the abduction, one student managed to escape the attackers shortly after the raid, while another student, the escapee, returned home the same day, confirmed by Principal Musa Rabi Magaji.
Footage verified by AP displayed the two schoolgirls, believed to be in their early teens, wearing hijabs and surrounded by family and villagers. Security forces, along with local hunters, have ramped up search efforts to locate and rescue the remaining missing students, with teams combing nearby forests and securing major roads leading to the school.
Governor Nasir Idris of Kebbi state visited the school to assure the community of ongoing rescue efforts, while Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu directed intelligence-driven operations to pursue the abductors relentlessly. Families of the abducted students recounted the early morning attack, expressing anguish and impatience as they awaited news about their loved ones.
The spate of abductions in the region, including the recent school incident, has highlighted the persistent threat posed by bandits and the lack of effective prosecution of criminals, leading to widespread insecurity. Analysts suggest that the attention-seeking nature of these criminal acts, particularly targeting schools, underscores the need for comprehensive security measures and law enforcement actions to combat such threats effectively.