Two schoolgirls have escaped after being kidnapped along with at least 25 other children and a teacher from a boarding school in Kebbi state, north-western Nigeria, on Monday. The girls managed to flee as their armed captors were leading them into the bush, running across farmland to safety, according to Hussaini Aliyu of Danko Wasagu council. One of the girls sustained a leg injury during the escape and required medical attention.
The attack left two school staff members dead. A teacher was killed while attempting to protect the students, and a security guard later succumbed to gunshot injuries in hospital. Authorities describe the perpetrators as “bandits” who targeted the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga town at approximately 04:00 local time.
Police say the gunmen first engaged the on-duty security personnel in a shootout before scaling the school’s perimeter fence and abducting the students. Families have been left in despair, with many parents anxiously awaiting news of their children. One father recounted how his daughters hid in a toilet during the attack, but one came out in fear and was abducted, leaving the family heartbroken.
The daughter of the security guard who was killed revealed that her father had a granddaughter and great-granddaughter at the school, both of whom were among the kidnapped students. The family remains devastated by the tragedy.
Maj Gen Waidi Shaibu, Nigeria’s army chief of staff, urged troops in Kebbi state to continue relentless efforts to rescue the remaining captives. A combined team of soldiers, police, and volunteers is scouring forested areas to recover the kidnapped children.
Kidnappings of schoolchildren in northern Nigeria have become increasingly frequent over the past decade, with armed groups often seeking ransom or leverage against the government. Nigeria’s Information Minister Mohammed Idris Malagi stated that the government shares in the pain of affected families, while President Bola Tinubu reaffirmed his commitment to protecting every Nigerian, particularly schoolchildren.
The escape of the two girls offers a small measure of relief amid an ongoing security crisis that continues to threaten communities across the region.
