*Vows No Repeat of Chibok Tragedy
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Senator Garba Maidoki (PDP-Kebbi South) disclosed on Wednesday that security authorities have pinpointed the location of the 25 schoolgirls abducted from Government Girls’ Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State. The lawmaker expressed strong confidence that the victims remain within the Kebbi South Senatorial District, raising hopes for their safe return within one to two days.
Speaking emotionally on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Maidoki described the Monday night attack as “the most unfortunate week of my life,” likening it to a nightmare invading his own constituency. “We have a fair idea where the girls are, and we are sure they have not moved outside the Kebbi South Senatorial District,” he said. “There is high hope that the girls will return home in one or two days.”
The assault, which occurred around 11 p.m. on November 17, saw over 100 armed bandits on motorcycles storm the school in Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area. The attackers killed the school’s vice principal, who heroically tried to prevent their entry, and a security guard, while injuring the principal. Witnesses reported that the gunmen, believed to be economic terrorists rather than ideologically driven insurgents, herded the girls onto the backs of motorcycles after ransacking the premises and stealing livestock. One student managed to escape during the chaos, but the rest were whisked away into nearby forests.
Maidoki, who visited the devastated community just a day prior, consoled grieving families and pledged collaboration with federal security agencies. “This will not be like Chibok. They will come back home,” he assured residents, referencing the 2014 abduction of 276 girls in Borno State. He recounted his pre-election promises of enhanced security, including community self-help initiatives and advocacy for military forward operating bases, which had previously reclaimed over 200 bandit-occupied villages in the Zuru Emirate.
The senator highlighted the region’s vulnerability, bordered by Zamfara State to the north and Niger State to the south. “Most of our problems come from Zamfara,” Maidoki explained, noting that bandits use established corridors through Zuru to launch hit-and-run raids on neighboring emirates like Yauri. Despite progress, including the clearance of bandit strongholds last year, the lack of sufficient “boots on the ground” remains a critical gap. “Twenty soldiers cannot confront 300 armed bandits,” he emphasized, criticizing understaffed checkpoints just five kilometers from the school.
Intelligence reports indicate the bandits targeted the school deliberately, possibly after weeks of reconnaissance. They operated for over an hour unchallenged, exploiting the vast, sparsely populated terrain ideal for motorcycle evasion. Seven soldiers were reportedly wounded in ongoing rescue operations deep in the forests, underscoring the risks faced by responders.
President Bola Tinubu has mobilized the Department of State Services, police, and military for an all-out rescue effort. Vice President Kashim Shettima, representing the president, visited Kebbi on Wednesday alongside All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje and other officials. In Maga, a community now described as a “ghost of itself,” Shettima called the incident tragic and reaffirmed the administration’s resolve. “Every necessary resource of government will be deployed to ensure the safe recovery of these innocent girls,” he said.
The Kebbi State Police Commissioner has deployed additional personnel to de-escalate tensions, while the Army’s garrison commander oversees operations from Zuru. Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja personally supervised initial efforts before departing.
This brazen kidnapping reignites fears of Nigeria’s school abduction epidemic, which has claimed hundreds of lives and traumatized thousands since Chibok. Global child rights group UNICEF condemned the attack, urging “urgent, coordinated action” to protect educational spaces. “No child should live in fear of going to school,” a spokesperson said, calling for fortified safe school initiatives under the National Safe School Response Framework.
Parents in Maga are reeling, with some hospitalized due to hypertension and others trapped in disbelief. “They think they are still dreaming,” Maidoki shared, his voice breaking as he described consoling the widow of the slain vice principal, who witnessed her husband gunned down in front of their children.
As rescue operations intensify, Maidoki called for immediate reinforcements and long-term fixes, including more recruitment centers for the armed forces and community vigilance programs. After the girls are recovered, he plans consultations with Governor Nasir Idris to secure other at-risk schools in the district, where parents have flooded him with pleas to withdraw children.
“This should never happen again,” Maidoki said. “We are reactive now, but we must become proactive to ensure our people feel safe in their own land.”
The nation watches anxiously, praying for a swift and joyful reunion of the abducted girls.
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