Ofure Akhigbe
The Maga community in Danko-Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State will hold a special prayer session on Friday, November 22, seeking divine intervention for the safe return of 25 schoolgirls abducted earlier this week.
The District Head of Maga, Muhammad Sanid Dantani, confirmed the development in a telephone interview with local media on Thursday, saying the entire community remains deeply shaken by the incident and has turned to spiritual supplication as authorities intensify rescue efforts.
“We have decided to gather on Friday for a special prayer for the safe return of our daughters. The whole community is traumatised, and we believe prayer is our strongest weapon at this moment,” Dantani said.
The abduction occurred in the early hours of Monday, November 18, when armed bandits attacked the Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School, Maga. The attack reportedly happened barely an hour after security personnel assigned to the school withdrew from their duty post—an action that community leaders and parents say may have created a vulnerability exploited by the attackers.
The incident adds to a string of similar attacks targeting schools in northern Nigeria since the mass kidnapping of Chibok schoolgirls in 2014. In Kebbi State alone, previous attacks in Yauri and other communities have left parents and residents in constant fear.
Residents of Maga have been holding nightly gatherings to support affected families and urge authorities to expedite action. Friday’s prayer is expected to draw clerics, traditional leaders, political officeholders, and residents. The session will also focus on peace and security across the region, which continues to witness violent attacks despite ongoing military operations.
Governor Nasir Idris, who visited the community earlier this week, assured parents that the government is working with security agencies to ensure the safe rescue of the schoolgirls. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, through Vice President Kashim Shettima, also pledged the deployment of all necessary resources to track down the perpetrators and rescue the victims.
A similar special prayer was held in Zuru town on Wednesday, November 19, and Thursday, November 20.