Fear has gripped the Zuru Emirate in Kebbi State after bandits launched a deadly night attack on Sunday at the Government Girls’ Comprehensive Senior Secondary School (GGCSS), Maga, in Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area.
The terrorists killed the Vice Principal and abducted about 25 female students in the raid.
As their attacks often leave sorrow and devastation in their wake, this particular invasion resulted in the death of the school’s Vice Principal, Malam Hassan Yakubu Makuku, our reporter gathered.
Malam Makuku was said to have lost his life while trying to protect the girls during the attack.
Meanwhile, the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Mohammed Matawalle, yesterday condemned the abduction of the schoolgirls and ordered their immediate rescue.
Matawalle, in a statement by the Assistant Director of Information and Public Relations, Ministry of Defence, Enderline Chukwu, described the incident as unacceptable and urged security agencies to act urgently to locate and safely rescue the abducted students.
A resident of the area, Murjanatu Hassan Gishiri, confirmed the incident yesterday in a chat with our reporter.
She said the bandits arrived at the school late in the night and operated without resistance, causing widespread panic.
She described the invasion as “a heartbreaking tragedy that has thrown the entire region into deep fear and mourning.”
The now-deceased Vice Principal, Malam Hassan Makuku, was reportedly shot while trying to protect the students during the attack. Community members have since offered prayers for his soul, asking Allah to grant him mercy, a peaceful resting place, and to console his family over the painful loss.
Security agencies have yet to release a detailed statement, but residents are calling for urgent government intervention to rescue the abducted students. They also called for improved security across schools and communities vulnerable to bandit attacks.
Meanwhile, the Kebbi State Police Command has confirmed the incident.
It disclosed that security personnel had been dispatched to the school, while others were trailing the fleeing bandits to rescue the abducted girls.
The school’s principal, who narrowly survived the attack and requested anonymity, said the bandits stormed the premises at midnight while the students were asleep.
According to him, they shot sporadically, killing the Vice Principal who tried to stop them from abducting the students, before eventually escaping with 25 girls into the bush.
He added that the school was immediately shut indefinitely and the remaining students asked to return home.
Some students who survived the attack narrated their ordeals to LEADERSHIP on Monday.
Aisha Maga, an SS III student, said she escaped abduction by scaling the school’s fence.
Another junior student, who craved anonymity, said she and others were rescued by a group of Good Samaritans who hid them from the attackers.
Similarly, a security man at the school, who also requested anonymity, said he hid in a toilet to avoid being abducted.
Kebbi Gov Visits School, Zuru Emirate
Kebbi State Governor Nasir Idris hurriedly left Abuja and rushed to Zuru, where he visited the school to assess the level of damage caused by the attack.
In a separate incident, another group of bandits attacked the busy Yauri–Kontagora Highway and reportedly invaded villages and communities in the Yauri Emirate. Unconfirmed reports indicated that two people were shot and taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
The Minister of State for Defence, Matawalle, said, “The government, led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has directed that the state security apparatuses swing into immediate action to ensure the abducted students are released unharmed.”
He urged security forces to work together to bring the perpetrators to justice.
The minister further appealed for calm, saying residents should remain peaceful while the government and security agencies address the situation.
He extended condolences to the family of the late Vice Principal and the families of all victims.
Federal Govt Vows Swift Rescue of Abducted Kebbi Schoolgirls
The federal government has expressed deep concern over the abduction of female students from Government Girls’ Secondary School, Maga, in the Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State, assuring families of the victims that all efforts are being deployed to secure their safe return.
In a statement issued to journalists yesterday in Abuja, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the government stands in solidarity with the affected families and shares in their pain.
President Bola Tinubu, he noted, has reaffirmed that the protection of every Nigerian—particularly schoolchildren—remains a solemn duty of the state.
The government strongly condemned the attack, which also claimed the lives of school officials carrying out their lawful duties.
Idris disclosed that security and intelligence agencies had been given clear directives to locate and rescue the abducted students and ensure that those responsible are apprehended and brought to justice.
“The Federal Government will not relent until this objective is achieved,” the statement read.
According to the minister, strengthening internal security remains a top priority for the present administration.
As part of this effort, the government is recalibrating the nation’s military, policing, and intelligence architecture to prevent attacks and respond more swiftly and effectively when threats arise.
He added that Nigeria is also bolstering regional security cooperation through ECOWAS, the African Union, and the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) to secure its borders and disrupt cross-border terrorist and criminal networks.
The federal government urged Nigerians to remain calm and confident as security forces work tirelessly to resolve the situation.
Police Deploy Tactical Team to Rescue Abducted Kebbi Students
The Nigeria Police Force said it has deployed a combined team of additional police tactical units to complement military personnel and vigilantes in the search and rescue of the students of the Government Girls’ Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, Danko district, Danko/Wasagu LGA of Kebbi State.
Police spokesperson, Kebbi State Police Command, CSP Nafiu Abubakar Kotarkoshi, said in a statement that those deployed in the area are currently combing the bandits’ routes and nearby forests, with a view to rescuing the abducted students and possibly arresting the perpetrators of the dastardly act.
