Atiku decries insecurity as gunmen abducts 25 female students from Kebbi school

Ebun Emmanuel — November 18, 2025

Gunmen attacked the Maga Comprehensive Girls’ Secondary School in the Danko-Wasagu LGA of Kebbi State in the early hours of Monday, killing the Vice Principal and abducting about 25 students.

Police said in a statement that the attackers had “sophisticated weapons” and were “shooting sporadically” during the raid.

They “stormed the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School” around 4am, according to the statement.

Police officers were deployed to the scene, but the bandits had already scaled through the fence of the school and abducted twenty-five students from their hostel.

A report said that the school’s vice principal was shot dead while resisting the, while a security guard was injured.

Police said officers, including additional tactical units, were searching for the gunmen in possible escape routes and forests near the school with the help of the military and local vigilantes.

The Kebbi State Government confirmed the tdeadly terrorist attack that also claimed the life of the school’s vice principal.

The Chief Press Secretary to Governor Ahmed Idris said the gunmen invaded the school in the early hours, shooting and causing widespread panic among students and staff. He added that while security agencies are still compiling full details, the confirmed number of abducted students stands at 25.

However, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar condemned the attack on the school, describing it as another tragic reminder of the country’s worsening insecurity.

Atiku, in a statement posted on his X handle on Monday, wrote, “I am devastated by the news of the tragic attack on Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School, Maga, in Kebbi State, which claimed the life of the Vice-Principal and led to the abduction of innocent students. This is yet another reminder of the worsening insecurity in our nation.”

He also condemned the killing of an All Progressive Congress, chieftain, Umar Moriki, and the mass abductions in the Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State, where entire families, including women and children, were kidnapped.

“These acts of barbarity have no place in a civilised society,” he said.

Atiku further lamented the continuing violence in Plateau, Benue, and other states, saying many communities were being torn apart.

He noted that residents of Shanono LGA in Kano State were fleeing their homes out of fear, reflecting a national security crisis that had reached an intolerable level.

“Nigeria cannot continue on this path. I call on the Federal Government to urgently review and strengthen its security architecture, deploy adequate personnel across vulnerable communities, and intensify intelligence-led operations. Our citizens deserve protection, dignity, and peace—nothing less,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Police Force and the military have launched an intensive search-and-rescue operation to recover the abducted students.

In a post on the Nigeria Police Force WhatsApp channel on Monday, the police explained that tactical units deployed to the school engaged the assailants in a gun duel, but the bandits had already whisked the students away.

According to the statement, operatives from the command’s tactical unit, in collaboration with the military and other security agencies, have been deployed to comb bandit routes and nearby forests with the aim of rescuing the students and apprehending the perpetrators.

“In light of this regrettable incident, the Commissioner of Police, Kebbi State Command, CP Bello M. Sani, reiterated the command’s unwavering determination to safeguard the lives and property of residents. He appealed to the public to remain calm, vigilant and continue supporting police operations to maintain peace and stability,” the statement added.

The Federal Government pledged to ensure the safe return of the female students.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed this in a statement issued via his verified X handle on Monday, titled “FG vows swift rescue of abducted Kebbi schoolgirls, reaffirms duty to protect citizens.”

Idris said the government expressed deep concern for the victims, emphasising that it shares in their pain and is committed to bringing the girls home safely.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has reiterated that protecting every Nigerian, especially schoolchildren, remains a solemn responsibility of the State,” the statement read.