Kebbi School Attack: 25 Girls Abducted, Vice Principal Killed as Leaders Demand Urgent Security Overhaul
Tension swept through the Zuru Emirate in Kebbi State at dawn on Monday after armed bandits launched a deadly assault on Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School, Maga, in Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area, killing the Vice Principal and abducting multiple students.
PulseNets learnt that the late-night raid plunged the community into chaos as residents woke to the grim reality of another mass kidnapping in the Northwest.
Authorities confirmed that the vice principal, Malam Hassan Yakubu Makuku, was shot dead while attempting to protect the students, a development security sources told PulseNets “reflects the increasing boldness of terror groups targeting schools.”
The Kebbi State Police Command, in a statement obtained by PulseNets on Monday, disclosed that 25 students were taken during the attack.
According to the Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Nafi’u Abubakar Kotarkoshi, the gunmen—armed with sophisticated weapons—invaded the school around 4:00 am and were met by police personnel who engaged them in a fierce gun battle.
Kotarkoshi explained that despite the officers’ resistance, the attackers scaled the perimeter fence and forced their way into the students’ hostel.
He confirmed that Makuku died on the spot, while another staff member, Ali Shehu, sustained gunshot injuries to his right hand.
The attack has triggered nationwide outrage.
“Nigeria cannot continue like this” – Atiku Abubakar
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar described the incident as another distressing reminder of Nigeria’s rapidly deteriorating security climate.
Reacting in a post released on X, Atiku also condemned the killing of APC chieftain Umar Moriki and the mass abductions in Tsafe LGA of Zamfara State, where entire families were whisked away.
He said violent assaults and mass displacements were now regularly recorded in Plateau, Benue and other states, while residents in parts of Kano—even Shanono LGA—were fleeing out of fear.
Atiku warned that the country was edging dangerously close to a point of no return if urgent action was not taken.
“I am deeply saddened by the attack on Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State. The loss of a dedicated Vice Principal and the abduction of innocent students is yet another painful proof of our worsening insecurity.
I also condemn the killing of Umar Moriki and the mass kidnappings in Tsafe, Zamfara. No society should tolerate this level of barbarity.
Nigeria cannot continue on this disastrous path. The Federal Government must urgently overhaul the security system, reinforce vulnerable communities, and adopt intelligence-driven responses. Nigerians deserve protection, dignity, and lasting peace.”
“A heartbreaking failure of leadership” – Oby Ezekwesili
Former Minister of Education and co-convener of the Bring Back Our Girls movement, Obiageli Ezekwesili, called for the immediate rescue of the abducted students.
In a statement shared on X, she criticised what she called the repeated “culture of impunity” that continues to expose schools to terror attacks.
She recalled the government’s failures during the Chibok (2014) and Dapchi (2018) abductions, insisting that lessons long overdue must guide present-day action.
“It is painful and heartbreaking to read that 25 schoolgirls in Kebbi were abducted in an attack where a vice principal and a security guard were also killed.
The fact that such vulnerability persists is a direct consequence of a system that permits impunity.
These girls have no business spending even a day in the hands of terrorists. They must be rescued immediately, and governments at all levels must guarantee truly safe schools.”
Peter Obi: “Our children cannot be abandoned to terrorists”
Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi also condemned the attacks in Kebbi and Zamfara and urged authorities to strengthen school security nationwide.
Posting from Monaco, Obi described the events as deeply unsettling.
He cited another attack in Fegin Baza, Tsafe LGA of Zamfara State, where bandits reportedly killed three residents and abducted about 64 people, including women and children.
“My heart is heavy as I receive the sad news from Kebbi. Several young students kidnapped, a staff member killed—these are tragedies no nation should endure.
In Zamfara, similar violence has claimed lives and displaced entire families. Communities are living in fear. Schools—places that should be safe—have now become targets.
This is not the Nigeria we must accept. The government must urgently overhaul the security architecture, rescue the abducted girls, and prevent further attacks. Our children must never be left at the mercy of terrorists.”
Federal Government orders immediate rescue
The Federal Government, through the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, assured families that every effort was being deployed to ensure the return of the abducted schoolgirls.
Idris revealed that security and intelligence agencies had been issued direct instructions to locate, recover and bring the girls home safely, while ensuring that the attackers are identified and prosecuted.
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A public affairs analyst at Peaceland University, Nduka Odo, told PulseNets that authorities must act decisively, prioritising both rescue and long-term reforms.
“The urgent task is to rescue the abducted girls safely. At the same time, families and communities need psychological support because trauma lasts long after the headlines fade.
Nationwide school safety protocols must be strengthened. Nigeria can overcome insecurity, but only if government, institutions, and communities work together with sincerity, transparency and real commitment.”
