Urgent Call to Rescue Abducted Kebbi Schoolgirls
The Gender Educators Initiative has issued a strong appeal to the Federal Government, demanding immediate action to secure the safe return of schoolgirls abducted from Government Secondary School in Maga, located in Kebbi State's Danko-Wasagu Local Government Area. The organization described the kidnapping as a painful reminder of the escalating security crisis endangering women and children throughout Nigeria's North-West region.
Condemnation and Demands for Coordinated Response
In a statement released from Sokoto on Tuesday, GEI's Executive Lead, Shafa'atu Suleiman, strongly condemned the abduction incident. The group emphasized the critical need for coordinated efforts between federal authorities, security agencies, and the Kebbi State Government to ensure the prompt rescue of all victims.
"This attack is completely unacceptable," the organization stated. "We are calling on the Federal Government to act fast to save our girls," while warning that any delays would only worsen the trauma experienced by affected families and communities.
The group highlighted how this incident exposes persistent weaknesses in school security measures and the increasing vulnerability of students in conflict-affected areas. They stressed that women and children continue to bear the heaviest burden of violence, facing kidnappings, sexual violence, and long-term psychological trauma, making their protection a matter of national importance.
Proposed Security Measures and National Crisis
To prevent future tragedies, GEI urged the government to implement a more proactive, intelligence-driven security strategy that would strengthen the Safe Schools Initiative. Their recommendations include:
- Functional perimeter fencing around schools
- Trained security personnel at educational institutions
- Early warning systems in high-risk communities
- Expanded investments in community policing
- Development of local intelligence networks
- Psychosocial support for violence survivors
The organization also advocated for deeper collaboration between security forces and local communities, alongside sustained efforts to address root causes of insecurity including poverty, unemployment, and limited access to education.
Expressing solidarity with affected families, GEI urged the government to guarantee that no Nigerian child must choose between pursuing education and staying alive. They emphasized that rescuing the abducted girls must remain the highest priority, noting that Nigeria's future depends on protecting its most vulnerable citizens.
The organization maintained its call for immediate and decisive action, insisting that the lives and futures of these young girls cannot be left to chance or uncertainty.
Nigeria's Decade-Long School Abduction Crisis
According to investigations by The ICIR, armed groups have repeatedly targeted Nigerian schools for over ten years, with more than 1,000 students kidnapped between 2014 and November 2025.
The most recent incident occurred on Monday when armed men attacked Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State. Police confirmed that 25 students were abducted and the school's vice principal was killed during the assault.
The ICIR previously reported that former President Muhammadu Buhari's administration recorded 300 percent more schoolchild abductions compared to his predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan. This troubling pattern has continued under President Bola Tinubu's government, with new cases emerging across multiple northern states.
Documented media reports indicate at least 16 major school abductions have occurred in ten northern states since 2014. These attacks have resulted in significant ransom payments and severe disruption to education in affected communities.
In 2024 alone, gunmen abducted six pupils and three teachers in Emure, Ekiti State. Later in March, they seized 287 children from LEA Primary and Junior Secondary School in Kuriga, Kaduna State. Days afterward, another 15 students were taken from a school in Gada, Sokoto.
The previous year witnessed similar abductions in Nasarawa and Zamfara states. In 2021, mass kidnappings occurred in Niger, Zamfara, Kaduna, and Kebbi, including the seizure of more than 150 students from Bethel Baptist High School in Damishi.
The 2020 Kankara abduction in Katsina involved over 300 students, followed days later by another incident in Dandume. The 2018 Dapchi raid resulted in 110 students being kidnapped, with some dying in captivity, and Leah Sharibu remaining in captivity to this day.
The 2014 Chibok abduction remains Nigeria's most widely known school kidnapping case, with more than 100 of the original 276 schoolgirls still missing.
