❓WHAT HAPPENED: Gunmen abducted 25 girls from a boarding school in Kebbi State, Nigeria, after killing the deputy head teacher and injuring a security guard.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The attackers, local police, military personnel, and vigilantes conducting search and rescue operations.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The incident occurred at 4:00 AM on November 17, 2025, at the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Danko Wasagu, Kebbi State.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Police tactical units, military personnel, and vigilantes have been deployed for search and rescue operations of the kidnapped students.” – Nigerian Police Force
🎯IMPACT: The abduction highlights ongoing security challenges in Nigeria, where jihadist groups frequently target schools.
At approximately 4:00 AM on November 17, 2025, armed gunmen attacked the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Danko Wasagu, Kebbi State, Nigeria. The assailants, carrying rifles, killed Vice Principal Hassan Yakubu Makuku and injured a security guard, identified locally as Ali, before abducting 25 girls.
The attackers fled towards Zamfara State, according to a teacher who spoke on condition of anonymity. Residents reported that the bandits infiltrated the area through Zamfara forests, bypassing two military checkpoints near the school. “One of the checkpoints is in Damarke… it is about seven kilometers from the school,” a local resident said.
The Nigerian Police Force confirmed the incident, stating: “Police tactical units deployed in the school engaged them in a gun duel. Unfortunately, the suspected bandits had already scaled through the fence of the school and abducted twenty-five students from their hostel to an unknown destination.” Authorities have since deployed additional police units, military personnel, and vigilantes to search for the abducted students and apprehend the perpetrators.
This incident recalls the infamous 2014 Chibok abductions, where Boko Haram militants kidnapped 276 schoolgirls, sparking global outrage. While some of the Chibok girls have been rescued or escaped, others remain missing. The latest attack underscores the persistent threat of mass abductions in northwest Nigeria, where armed, often jihadist groups frequently target schools and colleges for ransom.
Despite government pledges to improve security, such kidnappings for ransom remain a pressing issue in Nigeria. The Commissioner of Police in Kebbi State, CP Bello M. Sani, reassured the public of the command’s commitment to safeguarding lives and property, urging residents to remain calm and vigilant while supporting police operations.
The National Pulse previously reported that President Donald J. Trump announced the designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) on October 31, 2025, citing severe violations of religious freedom and the persecution of Christians by radical Islamist terrorists. Despite the designation, the Muslim-led Nigerian government has denied allegations of a Christian genocide, while expressing a willingness to cooperate with the United States on counterterrorism efforts against Islamist militias.
Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.