Gunmen armed with what local officials described as “sophisticated weapons” stormed the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State, early on November 17, abducting 25 schoolgirls and killing at least one staff member. Witnesses said the attackers moved quickly through the dormitories before fleeing with the students. The kidnapping is part of a long-running pattern of attacks on schools in northern Nigeria, where armed groups frequently target girls’ institutions for ransom, forced marriage, or recruitment. The raid underscores how fragile school safety remains in the region: even campuses with boarding facilities and staff on site offer little protection when armed groups operate with near impunity. For many families, the fear of abduction now directly shapes decisions about girls’ education, attendance, and mobility.
Compiled From: Ope Adetayo and Dyepkazah Shibayan, “Gunmen abduct 25 girls from a high school in northwestern Nigeria,” Associated Press, Nov. 17, 2025.