Fulani Terrorists Kidnap 25 Schoolgirls in Kebbi State, Nigeria – Vice Principal Killed
Kebbi State, Nigeria – November 22, 2025
In a devastating pre-dawn attack on 17 November 2025, Fulani terrorists kidnapped at least 25 female students from the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, a town in Danko-Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State.
The terrorists killed the school’s vice principal, Hassan Makuku, during the attack and shot a local guard, Ali Shehu, in the right hand.
The raid occurred around 4:00 AM, when more than 30 terrorists on motorcycles approached the school, storming the dormitories and forcefully removing at least 25 students in terror.
Eyewitness accounts describe the attackers as “heavily armed terrorists” with sophisticated weaponry.
Local sources, say the terrorists may have infiltrated via the Zamfara forests, exploiting gaps and “complicity” of the security, stating that despite “two military checkpoints near the school” the terrorists walked into the school unchallenged.
One traditional leader stated that soldiers had been deployed earlier but left around midnight, shortly before the attack, coinciding with witness accounts of so many Christian communities that have been attacked in the past.
Security forces since the November 17 claims to be combing suspected escape routes and nearby forested areas.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has ordered intelligence-driven operations, urging troops to act “decisively and professionally … success is not optional.”
Reacting to General Shaibu, the agonizing community hope that their children will be returned to them safely, however, they fear the statement by the General is a very common rhetoric by “the compromised army.”
Communities have raised alarm severally that terrorists have exploited weak and complicit security infrastructure and forest hideouts to terrorise Christian communities.
One student has reportedly escaped and reunited with her family, according to the school’s principal.
Critics are questioning why intelligence was not acted upon, especially given reported prior warning and the proximity of military checkpoints.
The abduction has thrown Maga and surrounding communities into fear and mourning. Parents of the kidnapped girls are distraught, demanding swift and concrete action.
The killing of Vice Principal Makuku, described by residents as a “protective figure,” has intensified the sense of loss.
Security Gaps: Despite military presence nearby, the Fulani terrorists managed to gain access into the school, pointing to serious intelligence and operational failures.
While no extremist group has claimed responsibility, eyewitnesses say the attackers are Fulani terrorists – complicating the response as the Nigerian government have in the past reportedly paid not less than One Hundred Billion Naira to the umbrella body Miyetti Allah.
Mass kidnappings of schoolchildren are not new to northern Nigeria. Analysts point to a trend of “Fulani terrorist” groups targeting Christian schools for sex slaves and ransom.
Following the abduction, the Kebbi State Police Command reacted by deploying tactical units, while the same military personnel that are accused of complicity and some vigilante groups have joined the search.
The abduction of 25 schoolgirls in Kebbi State is another grim reminder of the persistent insecurity plaguing Nigeria.
The attack marked by lethal violence, a breach of perimeter defences, and an audacious raid on a girls’ boarding school by terrorists in over 30 motorcycles, passing through military checkpoint, underscores the reach and brazenness of Fulani terrorists.
The federal government’s later claim of mobilization of security forces and political commitment offer a window of hope, but the true test will be in how swiftly and safely the girls can be brought home, and whether this incident will catalyse meaningful reforms to prevent future tragedies.
