An extensive joint operation involving the Nigeria Police Force and the Military has been activated to rescue the twenty-five schoolgirls abducted from Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School located in Maga community, situated within the Danko and Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State, a state in the northwestern region of Nigeria that has experienced recurring security challenges in recent years.
Okay News reports that authorities are treating the latest incident as a major national security emergency.
The situation unfolded in the early hours of Monday when armed terrorists, operating in large numbers, invaded the female secondary school. According to a report attributed to Sahara Reporters, the attackers forcefully entered the premises and took away numerous female students while also killing a staff member during the raid. The report further disclosed that one of the school’s security guards sustained injuries during the violent assault, which took place at approximately five minutes past five in the morning.
In a detailed statement posted on the official communication channel of the Nigeria Police Force, the security agency confirmed the attack, noting that its tactical units engaged the assailants in a fierce gun battle. However, the armed group had already succeeded in breaching the school’s perimeter fence and escaping with the students before the reinforcement units could halt their movement.
The police statement read, “On November 17, 2025, at about 0400hrs, information received revealed that a gang of armed bandits with sophisticated weapons, shooting sporadically, stormed the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, Danko district, Danko and Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State.
“The police tactical units deployed in the school engaged them in a gun duel. Unfortunately, the suspected bandits had already scaled through the fence of the school and abducted twenty-five students from their hostel to an unknown destination. Similarly, one Hassan Makuku ‘m’ was shot dead while Ali Shehu ‘m’ sustained injury in his right hand.
“Upon receiving the unfortunate incident, a combined team of additional Police tactical units, military personnel and Vigilantes has been deployed in the area and they are currently combing the bandits’ routes and nearby forest, with a view to rescuing the abducted students and possibly arresting the perpetrators of the dastardly act.
“In the light of the above regrettable incident, the Commissioner of Police, Kebbi State Command, CP Bello M Sani, had reiterated the Command’s unwavering determination in safeguarding the lives and property of the residents of Kebbi State. He equally appealed to the members of the public to remain calm, vigilant, and continue supporting Police operations for peace and stability to be maintained.”
The Commissioner of Police, Bello M. Sani, who oversees policing activities in the entire northwestern Nigerian state, assured citizens that the combined security apparatus is functioning under a unified command to speed up tracking, interception, and recovery of the abducted children.
Security analysts note that the abduction mirrors several earlier attacks on educational institutions in northern Nigeria, reinforcing concerns that schools remain primary targets for armed groups despite continuous deployment of police and military units.