25 Schoolgirls Abducted in Nigeria as Gunmen Storm Boarding School

A major security crisis has unfolded in northwest Nigeria after armed men stormed a boarding school in Kebbi state and abducted 25 schoolgirls, officials confirmed on Monday. The attack also left at least one staff member dead.

The assailants entered the school in Maga, located in the Danko-Wasagu area, around 4 a.m., heavily armed and moving in groups on motorcycles. According to local police, the attackers exchanged gunfire with security guards before forcing their way into the students’ dormitory.

Police said search teams are now scouring nearby forests and likely escape routes to rescue the missing girls and track down those responsible.

Residents Report Higher Casualty Count

While authorities have confirmed one death so far, residents claim the toll may be higher. Abdulkarim Abdullahi Maga, whose daughter and granddaughter were kidnapped, said the attackers first killed a teacher and then a guard before taking the students.

Police have not yet verified the second reported death.

No Group Has Claimed Responsibility

So far, no militant or criminal organisation has taken responsibility for the kidnapping. The motives remain unclear, though officials suspect armed bandit groups that frequently operate in the region.

Northwest Nigeria faces a severe security challenge, with criminal gangs routinely carrying out kidnappings, extortion and attacks on villages due to limited state control in remote areas. These groups are separate from Boko Haram and ISWAP, whose operations are primarily ideological.

Schools Have Been a Target Since 2014

Nigeria has faced repeated school abductions since Boko Haram kidnapped 276 girls from Chibok in 2014, an incident that shocked the world. Despite rescue operations, dozens of those girls remain missing.

Since that attack, at least 1,500 students have been kidnapped in northern Nigeria as criminal groups find hostage-taking a profitable enterprise. In 2024, more than 130 schoolchildren were rescued in Kaduna after two weeks in captivity.

Although state governments recently implemented stronger security measures — including prolonged school closures in high-risk zones — Monday’s mass abduction shows that many vulnerabilities remain.

Search and rescue operations are still underway, and authorities have urged residents to remain vigilant.