One of 25 abducted Nigerian girls escapes captivity

Schoolgirl Escapes Abduction in Kebbi, Nigeria

One schoolgirl who was among 25 students abducted from a dormitory in Nigeria has managed to escape and is now safe, according to the principal of Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Kebbi state. The student arrived home late Monday night, a few hours after the kidnapping took place. The principal, Musa Rabi Magaji, also confirmed that another student who was not part of the initial group of 25 abducted students also escaped during the attack.

Magaji stated, “One is part of the 25 abducted and the other one returned earlier. They are safe and sound.”

Security forces have since intensified efforts to rescue the remaining kidnapped girls. The gunmen attacked the high school in the early hours of Monday, resulting in the death of a staff member during the incident.

Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu, Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff, visited the school shortly after the attack and instructed soldiers to conduct intelligence-driven operations to pursue the abductors relentlessly.

Despite no group claiming responsibility for the abduction, it is believed to be the work of one of several criminal gangs known to target schools, travelers, and remote communities for ransom. Many of these groups consist of former herders who have resorted to violence against farming communities following disputes over limited resources.

Mass abductions in schools are unfortunately not uncommon in northern Nigeria, where armed gangs, including nomadic herdsmen and extremist groups, operate. These gangs often target schools to draw attention to their cause, according to analysts.

The prevailing insecurity in the region has been attributed to widespread corruption, which hampers the supply of weapons to security forces, as well as the failure to prosecute attackers and porous borders that facilitate the flow of weapons to criminal elements.

Oluwole Ojewale, a security analyst at the Institute for Security Studies, emphasized the impact of strategic kidnappings like those involving school children, stating, “What gains traction is when it is strategic kidnapping, like school children.”

While the search for the remaining abducted students continues, the incident serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing challenges faced by communities in Nigeria due to insecurity and criminal activities.

Asadu reported from Abuja, Nigeria.