On 17 November 2025 at approximately 4:00 AM, gunmen invaded Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School Maga in Danko-Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State in north-western Nigeria and attacked with explosive devices and firearms. Breaking through its perimeter walls, exchanging fire with guards and abducting 25 female students from its boarding facility while killing its vice-principal, Hassan Makuku (often reported as Malam Hassan Makuku), during an attempt to protect them he was shot as he tried to protect his charge attempting to protect his charges; Radionigeria.gov.ng +3 +AP News+3 +3
+3 The gunmen involved were described as heavily armed and “sophisticated”, overpowering school guards before breaching hostels to abduct girls. One security guard was injured during this attack. AP News +2
Authorities in Kebbi State took swift action, immediately mobilizing a joint search and rescue operation involving police tactical units, military assets, and local vigilantes to search the area for potential escape routes or forest paths that might provide access to forest paths and escape routes. Furthermore, they sent their deputy Governor directly to assess the situation at school. And Channels Television provided coverage.
This incident marks another dark chapter in an ongoing wave of school kidnappings and attacks in northern Nigeria, with criminal gangs targeting educational institutions to abduct children for ransom or other motives. Since 2014’s Chibok schoolgirl kidnapping, incidents such as these have become all too frequent, particularly in states such as Zamfara, Kaduna and now Kebbi (The Peninsula Newspaper).
Local parents and community members remain distressed, waiting for reliable information about the abducted girls and hoping for their safe release. Meanwhile, the death of Vice Principal has caused outrage and grief as many view his act of self-sacrifice in protecting students under his care as selfless sacrifice.
Channels Television provides live updates regarding this tragic event.
Kebbi State’s northwestern region has experienced an increase in “bandit” activity – loosely organised armed gangs which engage in kidnapping, cattle rustling, village raids and school attacks using weak security infrastructure, remote terrain and minimal police presence as their means. Although the government has been pressurised to strengthen protection for schools and vulnerable communities, recent attacks point towards persistent gaps.
Educational experts report that repeated school abductions can have long-term repercussions: disruption of learning, fear among both pupils and teachers, potential dropout of female students whose families fear sending them back to boarding facilities and profound psychological trauma from abduction and hostage risk that may last a lifetime.

As a result of this incident, both Nigerian federal government and Kebbi State authorities face urgent demands: (1) to expedite the rescue of abducted girls; (2) strengthen school security (such as fencing, lighting, alarms and rapid response teams); (3) prosecute perpetrators of bandit networks and dismantle them swiftly; (4) assuring local communities that education remains safe and valued.

The attack at Maga school serves as a stark reminder that Nigeria’s school security battle remains ongoing. While the world watches, their fate and that of their vice-principal will demonstrate just how vital access to safe education remains in conflict-affected regions.