Wayne Lumbasi
At least 25 schoolgirls were kidnapped by unknown gunmen during an early Monday morning attack on a school in Nigeria’s northwestern Kebbi State, while a vice principal and a security guard were shot and killed for resisting.
The assault took place at the Government Girls’ Comprehensive Senior Secondary School in Maga, Danko-Wasagu Local Government Area, around 4:00 a.m. Armed with sophisticated weapons, the attackers engaged the on-duty staff in a deadly gunfight. Vice Principal Hassan Makuku was killed, and a security guard, Ali Shehu, was seriously injured before the gunmen scaled the fence and abducted 25 female students from their dormitories. Witnesses described a scene of chaos and panic as the assailants fled toward nearby forests.
Security agencies responded immediately. Police tactical units, the military, and local vigilante groups were deployed to comb villages and forests in search of the kidnapped girls. Kebbi State Police Commissioner Bello Sani urged residents to assist with any information that could help locate the students and bring the attackers to justice.
President Bola Tinubu condemned the attack, calling it “reprehensible” and directed security and intelligence agencies to rescue the students safely and apprehend the perpetrators. Authorities reiterated that protecting schoolchildren is a top national priority, especially in northern states where kidnappings have become a frequent threat.
The incident highlights the growing insecurity in the region, where criminal gangs often target schools to abduct students. Communities remain on edge as families wait anxiously for the safe return of their children while mourning the educators who lost their lives protecting them.
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DISTRESSED NIGERIANS SELL-OFF HOMES, LAND TO FREE ABDUCTED CHILDREN
