The girls were kidnapped early on Monday morning when gunmen stormed the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga town, Kebbi State. School principal Musa Rabi Magaji confirmed that one of the girls managed to escape and returned home late on Monday. Additionally, another student fled immediately during the raid and was not taken.

“They are safe and sound,” Magaji told The Associated Press, adding that the escapees had been reunited with their families. A video circulating social media shows the two schoolgirls, believed to be in their early teens, surrounded by relatives in their village.

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Following the attack, security forces swiftly responded. Maj. Gen. Waidi Shaibu, Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff, ordered troops from Operation FANSAN YANMA to intensify efforts to find and rescue the missing students.

Kebbi State Governor Nasir Idris also visited the school on Monday, promising urgent action to bring the girls home safely. Lt. Gen. Shaibu emphasized the need for “intelligence-driven operations” and vowed relentless pursuit of the abductors. “We must find these children. Success is not optional,” he declared.

The abduction has left the local community in shock. Abdulkarim Abdullahi, a resident of Maga, recounted hearing gunfire from his home. “I was at home when I suddenly heard gunshots from the school. We were told the attackers arrived on many motorcycles,” he said.

The abduction in Kebbi is part of a broader security crisis in northern Nigeria, where armed groups often target schools, villages, and travelers. The remaining girls are still unaccounted for as search efforts continue.

Source: Punch