Key Points

• Vigilantes blocked a bandit attack on Kiri High School and rescued all students

• Kebbi and Niger suffered mass abductions as national tension grew

• CAN, lawmakers, Wike and Atiku challenged the federal government on escalating insecurity

A vigilante team in Aiyetoro Kiri in Kabba Bunu Local Government Area stopped armed men from storming Kiri High School on Wednesday. They blocked the attackers at the gate and kept the students safe.

Attack Comes During a Week of School Abductions

The incident added fresh tension across the region. Armed groups abducted 25 schoolgirls from Government Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State.

They also seized more than 300 pupils from St Mary’s Catholic School in Niger State. The Kebbi girls are back home. The St Mary’s children are still missing.

Northern CAN chairman John Hayab shared that the father of three abducted pupils in Niger died of a heart attack after the raid.

He described families sitting through long nights without news of children who have not slept or bathed since the kidnappings.

Vigilantes Drive Back Bandits

Members of the Kiri Vigilante Group ran to the school when they spotted the attackers. Community sources said they rescued every student taken during the clash.

One vigilante and one Hausa resident died in the fight.

Kabba Bunu LGA Chairman Zaccheus Dare Michael confirmed the assault. He added that security teams pushed back the gunmen.

His spokesperson, Omofa John, noted that joint units and local hunters swept nearby forests and restored calm.

Michael also warned residents against posting false updates online. He said those spreading misinformation would face legal action.

CAN Presses the Federal Government

The Christian Association of Nigeria increased pressure on the federal government as violence rises. During the opening of the Christian Council of Nigeria assembly in Abuja, CAN President Daniel Okoh described the moment as a moral and constitutional test.

He argued that leaders owe citizens real protection without delay or bias. He also urged churches to stay vocal and stand with victims.

Wike Rejects Fake Circular on School Closure

In Abuja, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike vowed to sanction officials behind an unauthorised circular that told schools to shut down due to security fears.

He said he was shocked to see the notice aired on television. He confirmed it was never approved by the FCT administration.

Wike suspended Mandate Secretary for Education Danlami Hayyo. He noted that any director involved in issuing the circular would face consequences.

He argued that states facing tougher threats never closed schools, so Abuja should not be pushed into fear by a false memo.

Senate Debate Turns Heated

The Senate erupted into a loud argument during a debate on rising insecurity. Some lawmakers warned that the country is under siege and losing public trust.

The clash came only hours after senators praised the rescue of abducted victims in Kwara and Niger.

Senator Asiru Yisa pushed for a Joint Task Force for the Kwara and Kogi corridor. He said the attack on Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku, which left two worshippers dead and 38 kidnapped, showed the deepening danger.

Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin asked the country to seek foreign help. Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele said Nigeria had reached a defining point.

He questioned why security agencies give no details about neutralised terrorists after rescue missions.

Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe raised concerns about alleged troop withdrawals before the Kebbi attack and asked who ordered the move.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio warned about internal sabotage and leaks. He noted that a brigadier general killed in Borno had his location exposed beforehand.

Tension peaked when Senator Seriake Dickson accused the majority caucus of downplaying the crisis. APC lawmakers shouted him down, leading Akpabio to cut off his microphone.

Several senators renewed calls for the death penalty for kidnappers. The Senate adopted the proposal.

Reps Warn Against Talks With Bandits

In the House of Representatives, members from all six geopolitical zones condemned reported negotiations with kidnappers.

The coalition called House to the Rescue argued that talks with criminal groups only encourage more violence.

They pointed to cases in Colombia, Mexico, Afghanistan, Somalia and Mali. They argued that those governments also tried dialogue and saw attacks increase.

They described the talks as a failure of responsibility and a dangerous signal to the public.

Atiku Accuses Terrorists of Running a Parallel System

Former vice president Atiku Abubakar accused the federal government of allowing terrorists to operate a parallel authority.

He dismissed claims by presidential aide Bayo Onanuga that the rescue of kidnapped students followed a non kinetic strategy.

Atiku called the comments an attempt to polish a tragedy. He argued that intelligence agencies failed to act against kidnappers they claimed to have tracked.

He warned that the government’s approach turned kidnapping into a routine negotiation between criminals and officials. He said this has weakened trust across the country.