One of kidnapped Kebbi schoolgirls escapes from bandits den Report

One of the 25 schoolgirls abducted from a school in northwestern Nigeria has escaped and is safe, authorities confirmed on Tuesday, as hunters and security forces intensify their search for the remaining students, AP News reports.

The girls were kidnapped before dawn on Monday when gunmen attacked the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga town, Kebbi State.

The school principal, Musa Rabi Magaji, confirmed that the first escapee arrived home late on Monday. Another student managed to flee immediately after the raid and was not taken.

“They are safe and sound,” Magaji told The Associated Press.

A video verified by AP shows the two schoolgirls, appearing to be in their early teens, surrounded by family members in the village.

The attack prompted an immediate response from security forces.

Chief of Army Staff, Maj. Gen. Waidi Shaibu, ordered troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA to intensify efforts in the search-and-rescue mission for the abducted students.

Kebbi State Governor Nasir Idris visited the school on Monday, promising swift action to rescue the girls.

Lt. Gen. Shaibu directed “intelligence-driven operations and relentless day-and-night pursuit of the abductors,” adding, “We must find these children. Act decisively and professionally on all intelligence. Success is not optional.”

Families in Maga recounted the predawn attack with shock and grief.

Resident Abdulkarim Abdullahi said he overheard the gunfire from his home. “I was at home when I suddenly heard gunshots from the school. We were told that the attackers entered the school with many motorcycles,” he said.

Amina Hassan, wife of the school vice principal Hassan Yakubu Makuku—who was killed by the gunmen—described the attack on her husband. “Three of them entered and asked my husband, ‘Are you Malam Hassan?’ and he responded, ‘Yes, I am.’ They told him, ‘We are here to kill you.’”

On Tuesday evening, President Bola Tinubu sent Vice President Kashim Shettima to Kebbi State to meet with the grieving families. He also assured that the government is working to ensure the safe and swift return of the remaining girls.

While we could not independently verify the reports as of press time on Tuesday night, correspondents confirm that efforts are ongoing to coordinate with the state police command.

The Kebbi raid is part of a broader pattern of insecurity in northern Nigeria, where bandits and former herders frequently clash with farming communities and target schools, travelers, and remote villages. The remaining abducted girls are still unaccounted for, as security teams continue their search.