Armed bandits have attacked the Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School (GGCSS) in Maga, Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area, Kebbi State, killing the school’s vice‑principal and abducting 25 students.
According to local security sources, the assailants struck at about 4:00 a.m. on Monday, breaching the school’s perimeter and firing sporadically.
The deceased has been identified as Hassan Yakubu Makuku, the school’s vice‑principal, who, according to residents, was shot while attempting to shield students from the attackers.
“He was shot as he tried to protect his students from being taken by the bandits. It’s a great loss for the community and the school,” said Aliyu Yakubu, a resident of Maga.
Police confirmation came later in the day from CSP Nafi’u Abubakar Kotarkoshi, spokesperson for the Kebbi State Police Command.
He stated that the raiders, “armed with sophisticated weapons,” scaled the school’s fence and abducted 25 students from their hostel, despite a gun duel with the tactical units on duty.
CSP Abubakar confirmed that another staff member, a security guard identified as Ali Shehu, sustained a gunshot wound to his right hand.
A combined force of security personnel has now been mobilised for a search‑and‑rescue operation.
According to the police, additional tactical units, military personnel, and local vigilante groups are combing known escape routes and the surrounding forested areas in a coordinated effort to recover the missing students.
The Minister of State for Defence, Dr Bello Mohammed Matawalle, strongly condemned the attack, calling for the urgent rescue of the abducted students. He said the federal government, led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has directed all security agencies to act swiftly.
At the same time, the Kebbi State government is closely monitoring developments.
The Deputy Governor, Senator Umar Tafida, has been dispatched to Maga on behalf of Governor Nasir Idris, who is currently out of state, to assess the situation and provide reassurance to the community, which is in a state of fear.
Atiku Abubakar’s Reaction
Former Vice‑President Atiku Abubakar strongly condemned the attack, describing it as a “tragic” reminder of Nigeria’s deepening insecurity.
In a post on his official X account, he said: “I am devastated by the news of the tragic attack on Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School, Maga, in Kebbi State, which claimed the life of the Vice‑Principal and led to the abduction of innocent students.”
Atiku added that the episode underscores a national crisis, noting similar violent incidents in Plateau, Benue, and other states.
He called on the Federal Government to immediately review and strengthen its security architecture, deploy more security personnel to vulnerable communities, and intensify intelligence-led operations.
“These acts of barbarity have no place in a civilised society…Our citizens deserve protection, dignity, and peace, nothing less,” he stated.
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