…UNICEF, NANS, U.S. Lawmaker Condemn Kidnap of Schoolgirls
…One Girl Escapes as Security Forces Intensify Search
By John Paul
A wave of outrage swept across Nigeria yesterday following the abduction of 25 female students of Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, in Kebbi State. The attack, carried out in the early hours of Monday by heavily armed bandits who killed the school’s vice principal and injured staff members, has once again stirred national anger and revived painful memories of repeated school kidnappings across the country.
First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu led the chorus of condemnation, expressing deep shock over the killings and kidnappings. During a visit by the Wives of Service Chiefs to the State House, Abuja, she called for a minute of silence in honour of the slain Vice Principal and the abducted girls. The delegation, comprising Mrs Sefiyan Shuaibu, Mrs Ngozi Aneke, Mrs Aishatu Abass, and Mrs Elizabeth Egbetokun, representing the Army, Air Force, Navy, and Police Officers’ Wives Associations, briefed the First Lady on their community engagements. Mrs Tinubu praised the service chiefs for their commitment to national security and commended their spouses for contributing to community welfare. She urged stronger collaboration with her office, noting her past work with former service chiefs’ spouses in supporting widows, veterans, and vulnerable households. She also acknowledged the difficult conditions faced by security personnel in the field, especially in conflict-prone areas like Kebbi. Mrs Tinubu further announced a series of holiday-season empowerment programmes under her NGO, the Renewed Hope Initiative, including financial support for persons with disabilities on December 3 and assistance for the elderly on December 16. She revealed that ₦100 million had been budgeted to support vulnerable groups nationwide.
Global condemnation followed swiftly. UNICEF, in a statement signed by Communication Specialist Sussan Akila, described the attack as “a stark reminder” of the dangers faced by children and urged the immediate and unconditional release of the abducted students. The organisation reminded the Nigerian government of its commitment to the Safe Schools Declaration, signed in 2015, which obligates the country to protect schools and educational personnel in conflict situations. UNICEF called for stronger nationwide implementation of child protection systems and insisted that perpetrators of such attacks must be held accountable in line with local and international standards.
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) also reacted angrily, calling the attack devastating, particularly as it occurred on International Students’ Day—a global day of recognition for the achievements and resilience of students. NANS President Olushola Oladoja said the tragedy overshadowed planned celebrations and national recognition awards scheduled for that day. The association lamented that repeated abductions in Chibok, Katsina, Niger, Yobe, Kaduna, and now Kebbi have become an alarming trend requiring urgent action. NANS declared that Nigerian schools must never again become “playgrounds for terrorists” and warned that young girls must never be turned into bargaining chips in the hands of criminals. It urged the Federal Government, Kebbi State authorities, and security agencies to deploy every available resource to rescue the abducted girls and to fortify boarding schools with advanced security measures and intelligence-led operations. The students’ body sympathised with the family of the slain vice principal, described as courageous for resisting the attackers, and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured staff member.
International voices have also joined in the condemnation. U.S. lawmaker Riley Moore, in a message on X, called for prayers for the victims and urged Nigerian authorities to do more to end what he termed “rampant violence.” He noted that although details were still emerging, the attack reflected the growing vulnerability of communities in northern Nigeria and highlighted the urgent need for stronger state action.
Meanwhile, there was a glimmer of hope yesterday when the school’s principal, Musa Rabi Magaji, confirmed to the Associated Press that one of the abducted girls escaped and returned home safely late Monday. Another student, who was not among the 25 confirmed kidnapped, also fled shortly after the attack and made it back. The two are reported to be “safe and sound.” Security agencies, according to Magaji, have stepped up the search and rescue mission for the remaining girls. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, though several armed gangs operating in the region are known for kidnapping students, travellers, and villagers for ransom.