Survivors of Monday’s brutal attack on the Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School, Maga, in Danko/Wasagu LGA of Kebbi State, have recalled the terrifying events that left the Vice Principal, Hassan Makuku, dead and 25 students abducted.
The assault, which occurred around 3 a.m., plunged the community into fear and grief as parents, teachers, and residents gathered at the school, desperate for information about the missing girls. Security agencies, including the police and military, have since launched a major rescue operation.
During a visit to the school, parents and eyewitnesses narrated how the bandits operated freely for over an hour before escaping with the girls, in a manner reminiscent of the 2014 Chibok abduction and the Birnin Yauri attack of 2021.
“I Pretended to Fetch the Key” — Matron Recounts Narrow Escape
The hostel matron, Hajia Maryam Bello, who has worked there for nearly two decades, said the incident began when she heard a student crying shortly after 3 a.m. When she peered through her window, she saw the attackers approaching.
“One of them screamed my name, begging me to open the door,” she said. “I pretended to get the key but quickly locked myself inside.”
She added that the men attempted to break her door with a machete but failed, then moved to the hostel and abducted many girls.
Parents in Agony
A distraught father, Abubakar, said his younger daughter survived by hiding in a room with other girls. But his older daughter, Khadija, was taken.
“When I arrived, I saw my younger daughter shaking. She told me they took her sister. I almost collapsed,” he said.
Another parent, Mallam Lawali, whose 12-year-old daughter Hawau was abducted, said his wife had not eaten since the attack.
“Government must help us. These are our children,” he pleaded.
Vice Principal’s Wife: “They Killed Him Before My Eyes”
The wife of the slain Vice Principal recounted how gunmen invaded their home before heading to the hostels.
“They broke in, killed my husband, then tried to take me. When I refused, they forced my daughter to lead them to the hostel,” she said.
Military, Government Launch Full-Scale Search
Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu arrived in Kebbi on Tuesday, directing troops to pursue the kidnappers without rest.
“We must find these children. Failure is not an option,” he told the soldiers.
The Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, also visited the school, assuring parents that “every resource” would be deployed to rescue the girls.
He dismissed circulating claims that security personnel were withdrawn before the attack, calling the reports “malicious and politically motivated.”
Security forces, backed by vigilantes and hunters, have intensified operations across forests stretching into Zamfara State. Aerial surveillance is ongoing, and prayer sessions continue across the state.
Senate, UNICEF, NBA Condemn Attack
The Senate held a heated session, warning that repeated school abductions threaten the future of education in Nigeria. Lawmakers demanded urgent reforms, improved intelligence, and rapid deployment of technology.
UNICEF described the attack as a tragic reminder of the need to protect schools and called for the immediate release of the abducted girls.
The Nigerian Bar Association condemned the incident as “a national shame,” warning that terrorists are expanding their operations into new regions. It demanded a coordinated rescue mission, greater security investment, and an inquiry into security failures.
First Lady: “This Is an Attack on Learning”
First Lady Oluremi Tinubu said the assault was not only an attack on innocent children but on the nation’s values. She assured families that President Tinubu had ordered security agencies to rescue the girls swiftly.
She prayed for the safe return of the abducted students and for the repose of the slain Vice Principal.
