Two of the 25 female students kidnapped from Government Girls Secondary School, Maga, in Kebbi State have escaped from their abductors.
The development was confirmed on Tuesday by Hussaini Aliyu, an official from Danko Wasagu Local Government Area, in an interview with the BBC.
According to Aliyu, the girls managed to flee while the bandits were leading them through the bush. They reportedly fled across nearby farmland and made it back to safety.
One of the students, he added, sustained an injury to her leg during the escape and is receiving medical care.
The abduction occurred early Monday morning when heavily armed bandits attacked the school in the Danko/Wasagu area, killing one staff member and injuring another.
Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Nafi’u Abubakar Kotarkoshi, confirmed that the attackers invaded the school around 4 am, engaged security personnel in a gunfight, scaled the perimeter fence, and abducted the students from their hostel.
The police spokesperson also identified the deceased staff member as Hassan Makuku, while another victim, Ali Shehu, suffered a gunshot injury.
Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, stated that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered an urgent rescue operation and strongly condemned the attack. He reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to securing all citizens, especially schoolchildren.
Kebbi State Commissioner of Police, Bello Muhammad Sani, said additional tactical units, military teams, and local vigilantes have been deployed to track the perpetrators.
The combined forces are combing suspected routes and forested areas as the search-and-rescue mission continues.
