Samuel Omang
Police authorities in Kebbi State have deployed security operatives and launched a coordinated manhunt for armed bandits who abducted 25 students of the Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School (GGCSS), Maga, in Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area.
The attackers were said to have invaded the school late Sunday, shooting sporadically before forcefully taking the girls away. The school’s Vice Principal, Malam Hassan Makuku, was killed during the attack, while another staff member, Ali Shehu, sustained a gunshot injury to his right hand.
In a statement on Monday, the spokesperson of the Kebbi State Police Command, CSP Nafiu Abubakar, confirmed the abduction, describing the incident as “regrettable and deeply troubling.”
He said the assailants breached the school premises by scaling the fence before abducting the students.
“On November 17, 2025, at about 0400hrs, information received revealed that a gang of armed bandits with sophisticated weapons, shooting sporadically, stormed the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga. The police tactical team on ground engaged them in a gun duel. Unfortunately, the bandits had already gained access into the hostel and abducted 25 students to an unknown destination,” Abubakar said.
Abubakar disclosed that additional police tactical units have been mobilised to the area, working alongside military personnel and vigilante groups to track the movement of the bandits and comb surrounding forests.
“The combined team is currently on the bandits’ trail with the aim of rescuing the abducted students and arresting those behind the attack,” he added.
The Kebbi State Commissioner of Police, CP Bello M. Sani, has reassured residents of the command’s determination to protect lives and property despite the latest attack. He urged the public to remain calm and cooperate with security agencies by providing credible information that could support rescue operations.
The abduction adds to a series of violent attacks across northern communities, heightening public concern over the safety of schools in remote areas.