Schoolgirl's Daring Escape from Terrorist Captors
In a dramatic development that has brought a glimmer of hope to a tense situation, one of the 25 schoolgirls abducted by terrorists from a boarding school in Kebbi State has managed to escape captivity and return home safely. The school's principal confirmed this positive development on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, providing some relief to anxious families awaiting news about their children.
The Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, located within Danko-Wasagu Local Government Area, came under deadly attack on Monday, November 17. According to authoritative reports, armed bandits stormed the school facility, killing a staff member and seizing 25 students before disappearing into the surrounding forests with their captives.
Escape Under Cover of Darkness
Principal Musa Rabi Magaji revealed that the brave student managed to slip away from her captors during the initial hours of her ordeal. The young girl found her way home late on Monday—mere hours after the mass abduction occurred. Her unexpected return has been described as miraculous by community members who had been praying for the safe recovery of all missing students.
In another significant disclosure, Magaji noted that an additional student, who wasn't among the 25 officially listed as abducted, also managed to escape during the chaos of the initial attack. This brings the total number of successful escapes to two, though 24 students remain in captivity.
Security Forces Intensify Rescue Mission
Security operatives have dramatically increased search-and-rescue operations across the area amid growing concerns about the resurgence of school kidnappings that continue to plague northwestern Nigeria. Major General Waidi Shaibu, recently promoted to chief of army staff, has ordered troops to fight "day and night" to rescue the remaining schoolgirls.
Speaking to soldiers deployed to Kebbi State, General Shaibu emphasized the urgency of their mission, stating: "You must continue day and night fighting. We must find these children." He urged the military personnel to "leave no stone unturned" in their efforts to locate and safely recover the abducted students.
The early Monday morning raid represents the latest in a series of schoolchild abductions in Muslim-majority northern Nigeria, occurring more than a decade after Boko Haram's infamous kidnapping of 276 girls in Chibok sparked international outrage.
International Attention and Local Realities
The kidnapping has attracted significant international attention, particularly from American political circles. Kebbi State police confirmed to AFP on Tuesday that all abducted schoolchildren were Muslim, countering claims made by some international figures about religious targeting.
Republican Riley Moore of the US House of Representatives, in a social media post urging prayers for the 25 girls, echoed former President Donald Trump's assertions about Christian persecution in Nigeria. However, Nigerian authorities have consistently rejected this narrative, maintaining that the country's various security crises have resulted in more Muslim casualties.
Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar addressed the situation on Monday, confirming that Nigeria remains in security discussions with the United States. When questioned about potential US military intervention, Tuggar responded: "No, I do not think so. Because we continue to talk, and as I said, the discussion has progressed. It's moved on from that."
The Kebbi region finds itself caught between multiple security threats, including jihadist infiltration from neighboring Niger and criminal gangs who routinely loot villages while kidnapping and killing residents across northern Nigeria. This complex security landscape continues to challenge both local and national authorities as they work to protect vulnerable communities and educational institutions.
