In the early hours of Monday, gunmen carried out a pre-dawn assault on a boarding high school in the Danko-Wasagu area of Nigeria’s Kebbi State. The attackers abducted 25 female students, killed one school staff member and wounded another, before fleeing into nearby forested terrain. Authorities have launched a full-scale search and rescue mission as kidnappings from educational institutions continue to plague the region.
Attack on Dormitories and Fatal Casualty
At approximately 4 a.m., the armed intruders—equipped with what police described as “sophisticated weapons”—opened fire on the school’s guard outposts before forcing their way into the girls’ dormitories. According to a police spokesperson, the raid left one staff member dead and another injured. None of the abductors have been identified, and no group has claimed responsibility as yet.
Ongoing Search-and-Rescue Operation
Police and regional security teams are combing escape routes and surrounding forests in a coordinated effort to locate the victims and apprehend the perpetrators. The remote location and limited on-site security have raised concerns about the ability to intervene quickly. Kebbi State authorities say they are working closely with local communities and intelligence units to trace the abductors.
Part of a Worrying Trend of School Abductions
This latest kidnapping underscores a larger pattern of attacks on schools in Nigeria’s north-western states. Since the notorious 2014 abduction in Chibok, where hundreds of schoolgirls were taken, dozens of similar mass kidnappings have occurred—often used by criminal groups as ransom operations or to disrupt education in vulnerable communities. Analysts say the growing frequency of such raids reflects persistent security gaps in the region.
