Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
Suspected armed bandits abducted at least 25 schoolgirls during a violent attack on a government-run boarding school in northwestern Nigeria’s Kebbi State early Monday, police said. The assault is the latest in a series of mass kidnappings targeting students in the region, a tactic that has plagued communities for more than a decade.
Nafiu Abubakar Kotakoshi, spokesperson for the Kebbi State police command, told reporters that the attackers, armed with sophisticated weapons, scaled the perimeter fence of the Government Girls’ Comprehensive Secondary School in the Maga community of Wasagu/Danko Local Government Area. After storming the dormitory housing the students, the gunmen shot and killed a school staff member and wounded another before fleeing with the girls to an unknown location.
Kotakoshi noted that the number of abducted students could rise as authorities continue to account for all pupils. “At least 25 students were taken from their hostel, but more girls may still be unaccounted for,” he said.
Security forces have launched a major search operation, combing forested areas and known escape routes used by criminal gangs operating across Nigeria’s northwest. These groups, often referred to locally as “bandits,” have been responsible for hundreds of kidnappings in recent years, targeting schools, villages and travelers, primarily for ransom.
The attack underscores the persistent insecurity afflicting several northern states despite increased military operations and security deployments. The mass abduction comes as parents and communities continue to demand stronger protective measures for schools, especially in rural areas where security presence is thin.
Authorities have not yet disclosed whether any communication has been established with the kidnappers or if a ransom demand has been made. Rescue efforts remain underway as families await news of the missing girls.
