Survivors of the Monday attack on Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School, Maga, in the Danko/Wasagu area of Kebbi State, have shared harrowing accounts of the event that left the Vice Principal, Hassan Makuku, dead and 25 female students abducted.
The assault, which occurred around 3 a.m., has plunged the community into grief as families struggle with the uncertainty surrounding the missing girls. Security agencies, including the police and military, have since launched an intensive search-and-rescue mission.
During a visit to the school on Tuesday, parents and eyewitnesses described how the gunmen operated for more than an hour before fleeing with the students. Many compared the incident to the 2014 Chibok kidnapping and the 2021 abduction at Federal Government College, Birnin Yauri.
The hostel matron, Hajia Maryam Bello, who has worked at the school for nearly 20 years, said she first sensed danger when a student cried out shortly after 3 a.m. She looked through her window and saw armed men surrounding the compound.
According to her, one of the attackers called out to her, urging her to open the door. She refused and locked herself inside her room while the bandits tried unsuccessfully to break in. They later moved to the girls’ hostel, where several students were abducted.
A parent, Abubakar, said he met one of his daughters trembling outside the hostel but discovered that her elder sister, Khadija, had been taken. His younger daughter survived by hiding in a room with other students.
The wife of the slain Vice Principal narrated how the attackers broke into their home and killed her husband. She said they forced her daughter at gunpoint to lead them to the hostel, but abandoned the girl once they saw the students.
Another parent, Mallam Lawali, said his 12-year-old daughter, Hawau, a JSS2 student, was among those kidnapped. He pleaded with the government to secure their release.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu, visited Kebbi on Tuesday and ordered troops to conduct an intelligence-driven offensive to rescue the girls. He met with vigilantes and hunters, urging them to support the operation. He also paid condolence visits to community leaders and school officials.
Governor Nasir Idris vowed to deploy all available resources to rescue the abducted students. A statement from his Special Adviser on Communication and Strategy said the governor visited the school, met families of the victims, and later held an emergency security meeting in Zuru to review strategies following the President’s directive.
A combined security team led by the deputy governor and the Secretary to the State Government has begun extensive search operations across forests in Kebbi and Zamfara, with intensified aerial and ground surveillance. Prayer sessions are ongoing across the state.
The state government dismissed rumours that security personnel were withdrawn from Maga before the attack, describing the claims as politically motivated. It cited recent investments in vehicles, motorcycles, and new military bases as evidence of its commitment to security.
The attack has heightened fear in the area, with some families sleeping outdoors. Security forces and local vigilantes continue combing surrounding forests while anxious parents gather at the school for updates.
The Senate also demanded stronger protection for schools nationwide. During plenary, lawmakers debated the growing insecurity, with several senators warning that the nation risks losing a generation if urgent measures are not taken. They called for improved technology, intelligence, and accountability in the fight against terrorism.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio condemned the attack and urged immediate action to rescue the girls. He questioned how the abductors transported the students and announced that lawmakers’ contributions would feed into a national security summit.
UNICEF, the Nigerian Bar Association, and First Lady Oluremi Tinubu also condemned the abduction. UNICEF called for the swift release of the children and criticised the continued targeting of schools. The NBA described the attack as a national shame and demanded a coordinated rescue mission, stronger counter-terrorism efforts, and the prosecution of collaborators. The group cited recent security alerts and rising abductions as signs of a worsening situation.
First Lady Tinubu expressed sadness over the incident, describing it as an attack on education and national values. She said the President had ordered security agencies to ensure the safe return of the students and prayed for their rescue and for the repose of the Vice Principal.
