KEY POINTS

• Kebbi schoolgirl abduction triggers rescue push.

• Security forces lock down affected community.

• Air Force jets deployed after night assault.

Armed bandits launched a late-night assault on Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, a community in Kebbi State’s Danko/Wasagu district, abducting at least 25 schoolgirls.

The attackers, described as heavily armed and arriving in large numbers, forced their way into the school compound after firing repeatedly into the air.

Witnesses said the invasion caused panic as students fled in the dark while gunmen moved from dormitory to dormitory. Residents said bandits killed the school’s vice principal during the assault, and they later discovered several unidentified bodies in the area.

Security forces hunt Kebbi schoolgirl abduction suspects

A witness, Sulaiman Abdullahi, said Air Force fighter jets flew over the community around 8 a.m. on Monday, hours after the attack. He added that armed security personnel took over the school and blocked all entry points.

Local officials said the scale of the attack suggested a coordinated operation by armed groups that have repeatedly targeted rural communities across northwestern Nigeria.

Rescue teams mobilised after Kebbi schoolgirl abduction

Kebbi State Police Command confirmed the incident, with spokesperson CSP Nafiu Abubakar saying a tactical team had been deployed to launch rescue efforts. He also said the operation would focus on securing the release of the students without harm.

According to Abubakar, Commissioner of Police Bello Sani has instructed security units to intensify their pursuit of the gunmen and restore calm in the area. Authorities fear the attackers may attempt to move the abducted students deeper into remote forest routes often used by armed groups.

The raid is the most recent in a series of attacks on schools in northern Nigeria. These attacks have been happening more and more at boarding schools, which has therefore made many worry about the safety of students and the lack of security in remote states.