Early Morning Raid on Girls' School
Armed criminals launched a devastating attack on a girls' secondary school in northwestern Nigeria on Monday morning, resulting in the death of a staff member and the abduction of twenty-five students. The incident occurred at Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Kebbi state around 4:00 am local time.
According to police statements, the attackers were heavily armed with sophisticated weapons and entered the school premises by scaling the fence. The gunmen fired sporadically during the raid, creating panic and confusion among students and staff members.
Casualties and Immediate Aftermath
One staff member was shot dead during the violent invasion, while another staff member sustained injuries. The victims have been identified as school employees who were present during the early morning hours when the assailants struck.
Police authorities confirmed that despite rapid deployment of security personnel to the scene, the bandits had already succeeded in taking the twenty-five students from their hostel to an unknown location before reinforcements could intercept them.
Security Response and Ongoing Operations
Security forces have launched a comprehensive search operation to locate and rescue the abducted students. Police tactical units, military personnel, and local vigilante groups have been deployed throughout the area and are currently combing suspected bandit routes and nearby forests.
This attack revives painful memories of the 2014 Chibok abduction, where nearly 300 schoolgirls were taken by Boko Haram insurgents in northeastern Nigeria. The northwest region has been plagued for years by criminal gangs commonly referred to as "bandits" who engage in cattle rustling, village raids, kidnappings, and violent attacks on communities.
The security situation in northwestern Nigeria remains critical, with armed violence persisting since the emergence of Boko Haram in the Lake Chad basin in 2009. Local communities continue to face threats from multiple armed groups operating across the region.
