One of 25 Abducted Kebbi Schoolgirls Escape As Army Intensifies Search For Others

One Student Escapes as Security Forces Intensify Search for 24 Kidnapped Kebbi Schoolgirls

One of the 25 students abducted from Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State, has escaped captivity and returned home safely, authorities confirmed on Monday. Security forces have since intensified operations to rescue the remaining 24 girls still held by armed attackers.

The abduction occurred before dawn on Monday when gunmen invaded the school, forcefully taking students from their dormitory and killing the school’s vice principal during the assault.

According to the school’s principal, Musa Rabi Magaji, the escaped student fled through nearby forests and reached home late Monday. “One is part of the 25 abducted, and the other one returned earlier,” Magaji told The Associated Press. “They are safe and sound.”

He clarified that a second student had managed to evade the attackers during the initial chaos. “One other student, who was not among the 25 confirmed abducted, escaped in the minutes that followed the attack,” he added.

In the wake of the incident, Nigeria’s military leadership has taken direct charge of rescue operations. The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu, visited the school and ordered troops to launch “intelligence-driven operations and relentless day-and-night pursuit of the abductors.”

“We must find these children,” Shaibu said in a military statement. “Act decisively and professionally on all intelligence. Success is not optional.”

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but analysts and local residents believe bandit gangs—known for targeting schools, travellers, and remote communities for ransom—may be behind the abduction.