By Emmanuel Nduka Obisue
A late-night attack on the Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School (GGCSS) in Maga, Kebbi State, has left the community in shock after armed bandits kidnapped 25 students and killed the school’s Vice Principal, Malam Hassan Makuku.
The assailants reportedly stormed the school on Sunday night, operating unchecked as they rounded up the girls and opened fire during the invasion.
Multiple sources said Makuku was shot while trying to shield students from the attackers, a heroic act that cost him his life.
Residents described the incident as terrifying, noting that the gunmen moved through the school without resistance, sending panic across the entire Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area of the state.
Kebbi State Police Command spokesperson, CSP Nafiu Abubakar, confirmed that 25 students were taken during the attack.
The state governor, Nasir Idris was said to have directed his deputy, Umar Tafida, to visit the school and get a clear briefing on the situation. The governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Ahmed Idris, said Tafida was already on his way as the governor is currently outside the state.
“He is going there to ascertain the true state of things. The governor will be fully briefed upon his return,” the CPS stated on Monday.
Parents and residents have been anxiously awaiting official updates on rescue efforts and the condition of the abducted girls.
A Disturbing Pattern Of School Abductions
The attack adds to a troubling history of mass abductions targeting schools across northern Nigeria. Similar incidents have occurred in Zamfara, Katsina, Niger, Yobe, and Borno states over the past decade.
In 2021, 317 schoolgirls were seized in Jangebe, Zamfara, while the same month saw students, teachers, and family members abducted from Government Science College, Kagara, in Niger State.
In 2020, over 300 boys were taken from the Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina.
Earlier, in 2018, 110 girls were kidnapped from Government Girls Science Technical College, Dapchi, with the 2014 Chibok abduction remaining the most infamous, where over 200 girls were taken by Boko Haram.
The recurring incidents have continued to raise nationwide concern over student safety and school security in vulnerable regions, amid US President Donald Trump’s recent decision to mobilize military operations in Nigeria.
