A joint security force comprising the police and the military has launched a massive search-and-rescue operation in the forests of Kebbi State following a pre-dawn raid on a secondary school that left one teacher dead and dozens of students kidnapped.
Armed bandits, described as being heavily armed, stormed the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, located in the Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area, at approximately 4:00 a.m. on Monday.
Confirming the incident, the Kebbi State Police Command spokesperson, CSP Nafiu Abubakar Karkokoshi, provided a grim account of the assault. He stated that the attackers “a gang of armed bandits with sophisticated weapons, shooting sporadically, stormed the school.”
Police tactical teams stationed at the school engaged the assailants in a fierce gun battle. However, the bandits successfully scaled the school’s perimeter, forced their way into the hostels, and seized 25 female students.
The attack resulted in the death of a Vice Principal, Mr. Hassan Makuku, who was shot by the invaders. Another individual, Ali Shehu, sustained a gunshot wound to his right hand and is currently receiving medical attention.
In the aftermath, a significant security deployment has been initiated. The Police Command has dispatched additional tactical squads, while the military and local vigilante groups have been mobilised to comb vast swathes of forest and suspected escape routes used by the criminals.
The Kebbi State Commissioner of Police, CP Bello M. Sani, has condemned what he termed the “dastardly” attack. He reaffirmed the Command’s unwavering commitment to protecting lives and property across the state.
CP Sani urged residents to “remain calm, vigilant, and to continue supporting security agencies” as efforts to secure the safe return of the abducted students are intensified.
