Gunmen stormed a high school in northwestern Nigeria early on Monday, abducting 25 schoolgirls and killing at least one staff member. The incident occurred at approximately 04:00 local time at a boarding school in Kebbi State, located in the Danko-Wasagu area. This alarming event marks another chapter in the ongoing crisis of student abductions that has plagued the region for years.
According to police spokesperson Nafi’u Abubakar Kotarkoshi, the assailants were armed with “sophisticated weapons” and engaged in a shootout with security personnel before taking the girls. One individual was confirmed dead during the attack, while another was injured. A local resident, who reported that his daughter and granddaughter were among those taken, suggested that the death toll could be higher, estimating two fatalities.
The attackers reportedly arrived on motorcycles, targeting the teacher’s residence first before moving to the dormitories. “We were told that the attackers entered the school with many motorcycles. They first went straight to the teacher’s house and killed him before killing the guard,” said Abdulkarim Abdullahi Maga, a resident of the area. Police have not yet confirmed the possibility of additional casualties despite inquiries from media outlets.
Authorities have launched a coordinated search and rescue operation involving a combined team combing through suspected escape routes and nearby forests in hopes of recovering the abducted students and apprehending the perpetrators. The situation remains tense as the community grapples with the aftermath of this brazen attack.
Kidnappings for ransom have become a major security issue in Nigeria, particularly in the northern regions where armed groups operate with relative impunity. These groups, often referred to as bandits, are not directly connected to terrorist organizations like Boko Haram or its splinter group, the Islamic State West Africa Province. Instead, they engage primarily in criminal activities to fund their operations, including kidnappings that can yield substantial financial gains.
Since the infamous abduction of 276 students from Chibok in Borno State in April 2014, more than 1,500 students have been kidnapped across Nigeria. The Chibok incident marked a significant escalation in violence against schoolchildren, instilling fear within communities and prompting international condemnation. Despite some state governments implementing security measures and temporarily closing schools in at-risk areas, attacks have persisted.
In March 2024, a notable rescue operation freed over 130 schoolchildren in Kaduna State after they had spent more than two weeks in captivity. Yet the ongoing threat of violence continues to loom over educational institutions in the region, creating a climate of fear for students, parents, and educators alike.
The Nigerian government faces a multifaceted security challenge, struggling to address the rampant violence that has taken hold in various regions. As communities seek to safeguard their children, the need for effective strategies to combat these armed groups has never been more urgent.
