Authorities in Kebbi State on Tuesday confirmed that one of the 25 schoolgirls taken from the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga has escaped, as security forces and local hunters continue to search for the remaining students.
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The girls were seized early Monday when armed men stormed the school before daybreak and moved the students away on motorcycles. The school principal, Musa Rabi Magaji, later confirmed that one girl returned home on Monday evening, while another managed to flee during the attack and was never taken. Both girls, who appear to be in their early teens, were seen with their families in a video shared by residents.
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The abduction drew an immediate response from security agencies. The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu, directed troops under Operation FANSAN YANMA to step up rescue operations, with a focus on tracking the attackers and gathering intelligence. He insisted that the abductors must be found and called for day-and-night pursuit.
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Kebbi State Governor Nasir Idris visited the school on Monday, meeting with staff and residents while giving assurances that the state would support ongoing rescue efforts. Some families in Maga shared accounts of the attack, saying gunshots were heard as the armed men moved into the school. Amina Hassan, the wife of the school’s vice principal, also recounted how her husband was killed during the raid.
Later on Tuesday, President Bola Tinubu directed Vice President Kashim Shettima to visit Kebbi State and meet the families affected by the abduction. Tinubu said the government is working to bring the remaining girls home safely, even though the reports could not yet be confirmed by the police as of Tuesday night.
The Kebbi attack adds to a long-running pattern of violence in northern Nigeria, where armed groups often move against schools, travelers, and rural communities. The search for the other abducted girls is still ongoing, with security teams widening their scope as families wait for news.
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