Armed men on Monday, 17 November 2025, attacked the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Ribah Local Government Area of Kebbi State, abducting 25 students and killing the school’s vice-principal, Malam Hassan Yakubu Makuku.
The attackers, who arrived on motorcycles before dawn, exchanged gunfire with security personnel guarding the school before gaining access to the hostels and whisking the girls away. One of the abducted students managed to escape later in the day, authorities confirmed.
Security agencies, including the Nigerian Army, police, and local vigilante groups, have since launched intensive search-and-rescue operations across the forests and border routes used by armed groups. The Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, instructed troops to pursue the kidnappers relentlessly, emphasizing that “success is not optional” in securing the girls’ safe return.
The Kebbi State Government described the attack as “devastating and unacceptable,” pledging close collaboration with federal security agencies. The Federal Government similarly condemned the abduction and assured affected families of its commitment to the rescue efforts.
School authorities have suspended academic activities indefinitely as investigations continue.
BACKGROUND: The Rising Trend of School Kidnappings in Nigeria
The abduction of students from Maga is the latest in a disturbing pattern of school kidnappings that has plagued Nigeria for over a decade. The trend gained global attention in 2014 following the abduction of more than 200 schoolgirls in Chibok, but the problem has since evolved beyond insurgency-driven attacks.
Shift from Ideology to Economics
In the northwest and north-central regions, loosely organised armed groups—popularly labelled bandits—have turned schoolchildren into targets of opportunity. Unlike Boko Haram’s ideological attacks, these gangs kidnap en masse primarily for ransom payments. The profitability of such operations has led to repeated incidents across rural and peri-urban communities.
Escalation After 2020
Between 2020 and 2023, Nigeria witnessed several high-profile school kidnappings, including Kankara (Katsina State), Jangebe (Zamfara State), Tegina (Niger State), and Bethel Baptist High School (Kaduna State). These incidents collectively involved hundreds of children.
The inability of many rural schools to pay for adequate fencing, security guards, and surveillance infrastructure has further exposed students to attacks.
Impact on Education and Community Safety
The recurring kidnappings have profoundly disrupted education in the affected regions. Thousands of schools have shut down temporarily, and enrolment in boarding schools continues to drop. Parents increasingly withdraw their children—especially girls—from formal education due to fear of abduction.
Teachers have also migrated out of high-risk areas, reducing instructional quality and widening regional learning gaps.
Government Responses
Federal and state governments have adopted various measures, including:
- deployment of military task forces and forest-patrol units;
- establishment of safe-school initiatives focusing on security upgrades;
- community policing partnerships with vigilante groups;
- suspension of school operations in high-risk zones.
Despite these efforts, the persistence of armed groups, poor rural security infrastructure, and long-standing governance challenges have made eradication difficult.
A Continuing National Crisis
The Maga attack underscores Nigeria’s ongoing struggle to protect its most vulnerable citizens. As authorities intensify search-and-rescue operations, families and education advocates urge the government to prioritise long-term prevention, strengthen community intelligence networks, and fully implement the national Safe Schools Declaration.
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