Schoolgirl Escapes as Search Intensifies for 24 Abducted Peers

A schoolgirl kidnapped along with 24 others from a dormitory in northwestern Nigeria has escaped and is now safe. The revelation came from the principal of the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State, who spoke to The Associated Press on March 12, 2024. This incident occurred during a night raid on March 11, when armed assailants attacked the school, leading to tragic consequences.

The attack began just before dawn, as gunmen breached the school’s perimeter and engaged in a gunfight with local police officers. Tragically, a staff member lost their life during this assault. Witnesses described the attackers as heavily armed and arriving on motorcycles. Although no group has officially claimed responsibility, local residents and analysts point to a pattern of abductions orchestrated by criminal gangs in the region. These gangs often target educational institutions for ransom, exploiting the ongoing insecurity in northern Nigeria.

Following the abduction, the escaped student returned home hours later, according to the principal, Musa Rabi Magaji. Another girl managed to evade capture immediately after the raid. Magaji confirmed, “They are safe and sound.” A video verified by the Associated Press shows the two girls, appearing visibly shaken yet unharmed, surrounded by family members in their community.

Search Efforts Intensify

The search for the remaining abducted girls has intensified, with security forces collaborating with local hunters to scour nearby forests known to harbor criminal gangs. Kebbi Governor Nasir Idris visited the school the day after the attack, promising concerted efforts to rescue the missing students. In a statement, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff, emphasized the need for “intelligence-driven operations and relentless day-and-night pursuit of the abductors.” He asserted, “We must find these children. Success is not optional.”

As rescue operations unfolded, families of the abducted students expressed deep concern and frustration. The dormitory and classroom block were eerily quiet the morning after the attack. Abdulkarim Abdullahi, whose daughter and granddaughter were among the kidnapped, recounted the chaos. “I heard gunshots from my house. We were told that the attackers entered the school with many motorcycles,” he said.

In a tragic turn, the assailants also targeted the school’s vice principal, Hassan Yakubu Makuku, fatally shooting him after breaking into his residence on the school grounds. His wife, Amina Hassan, recounted the harrowing moment when the attackers confronted her husband, seeking his identity before taking his life.

The Broader Context of Insecurity

This incident is part of a troubling trend in Nigeria, where school abductions have become increasingly common. Since the infamous kidnapping of 276 schoolgirls in Chibok by the extremist group Boko Haram over a decade ago, at least 1,500 students have been seized in similar operations. Analysts suggest that such strategic kidnappings are designed to draw attention to the gangs’ activities, leveraging the emotional weight of abductions to further their aims.

The ongoing insecurity in the region is often attributed to a lack of effective prosecution of known criminals and widespread corruption, which hampers security forces’ ability to combat these gangs. Oluwole Ojewale, a security analyst at the Institute for Security Studies, stated, “What gains traction is when it is strategic kidnapping, like school children.”

As families await news of their loved ones, the situation underscores the urgent need for improved security measures and effective governance to protect vulnerable communities in Nigeria. The search for the remaining girls continues, as the nation grapples with the realities of violence and insecurity that have become all too familiar.