The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, has stated that security operatives have located the place where the abducted schoolgirls are camped in Kebbi State.
Addressing newsmen in Birnin Kebbi, the minister confirmed that the military troops have recorded significant progress since their deployment earlier in the week to rescue the students.
The attack occurred on Monday when armed bandits stormed Government Girls’ Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, in Danko-Wasagu Local Government Area of the state.
The terrorists succeeded in kidnapping 25 schoolgirls, while officials later confirmed that one of the girls escaped and safely returned home.
The minister further stated that security operatives are now deepening their operations in the identified location, with coordinated efforts underway to ensure the schoolgirls’ safe return.
Hon. Matawalle assured the public that the government is treating the situation with utmost urgency.
The Guardian reports that the issue has intensified concerns about school safety in the region, following several similar attacks in recent years, noting that parents, guardians, and community members continue to call for stronger protection of schools, especially in rural areas.
As the rescue mission continues, authorities have urged residents to remain calm and cooperate with security agencies.
Save the Children urges immediate action
Meanwhile, an NGO, Save the Children, has condemned the abduction of 25 female students from Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Danko-Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State, calling on the federal and state governments to take urgent measures to secure their release and strengthen protection for schools across Nigeria.
According to reports, the attack occurred in the early hours of Monday, 17 November 2025, when armed assailants stormed the school, killing a staff member and injuring another before abducting the girls to an unknown location.
The incident highlights the ongoing security challenges confronting educational institutions in the northwest, where children, particularly girls, continue to face threats of violence, kidnapping, and abduction.
Duncan Harvey, Country Director of Save the Children Nigeria, emphasised the broader implications of such attacks.
“The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and Nigeria’s Child Rights Act recognise education as a fundamental right. We all have a collective responsibility to ensure that children, regardless of their circumstances, can fulfil this right,” he said.
Save the Children has called for a multi-faceted response. The organisation urges the Federal Government and the Kebbi State Government to act swiftly to ensure the safe return of the abducted pupils and to hold the perpetrators accountable.
It also advocates for the scaling up of security measures around schools in high-risk areas, including community-based protection systems, early warning mechanisms, and rapid response teams.
The agency further recommends reinforcing the implementation of the National Policy on Safety, Security, and Violence-Free Schools, along with the Minimum Standards for Safe Schools, to ensure every educational facility is a secure space for learning. Addressing underlying causes of insecurity, including poverty, youth unemployment, and weak governance structures, is also cited as essential for long-term protection.
Data from Save the Children’s Education Under Attack in Nigeria report indicates that between February 2014 and December 2022, at least 70 attacks on schools were recorded nationwide, with 49 occurring in Northwest Nigeria. These attacks resulted in the abduction of 1,683 learners, the killing of 184 pupils, and the destruction of 25 school buildings. While the frequency of incidents had declined in recent years, the Kebbi abduction represents the first major school kidnapping since March 2024, when over 200 pupils were taken from Kuriga, Kaduna State.
“Education is not a privilege; it is a fundamental right. The time to act is now,” Harvey stated. “Government, communities, and partners must unite to make every school a safe and protected place for learning. No child should pay for education with their life.”
The organisation called on authorities to combine immediate protective measures with long-term strategies to prevent further attacks, stressing that decisive action is essential to safeguard Nigeria’s students and secure the future of its educational institutions.
