A deadly attack on a girls’ school in northwestern Nigeria has left one principal dead and at least 25 students abducted, triggering national outrage and renewed scrutiny of the country’s deepening security crisis. The assault, confirmed by President Bola Tinubu in a statement posted on X, took place in Kebbi State, where armed militants stormed a school compound, killed the principal on duty and kidnapped dozens of girls before disappearing into nearby forest areas. Families across the region remain in anguish as security forces begin search and rescue operations.
Tinubu said he was “heartbroken” by the abduction and described the killing of a senior educator as an attack on the country’s future. His statement also referenced the recent death of Brigadier General Musa Uba and other soldiers in an unrelated operation in Borno State, underscoring the scale of insecurity now stretching Nigeria’s armed forces. “I am depressed that heartless terrorists have disrupted the education of innocent schoolgirls,” the president said, adding that security agencies have been directed to act swiftly and bring the girls home. He warned that anyone threatening citizens would face the “full weight of the Nigerian state”.
This latest kidnapping fits into a pattern that has alarmed both domestic and international observers. Over the past decade, Nigeria has recorded a series of mass abductions targeting schoolchildren, particularly in the country’s northwest and northeast. These incidents destabilize communities, weaken education outcomes and reinforce fears that militant networks and criminal gangs are growing more sophisticated. Although the perpetrators of the Kebbi attack have not been publicly identified, authorities say the operational style is consistent with armed bandit groups who have exploited porous borders, weak rural policing and challenging terrain.
The kidnapping also highlights a recurring problem that Nigeria’s security agencies have struggled to contain. In many rural areas, schools remain soft targets due to insufficient fencing, minimal surveillance and limited on-site protection. Critics argue that despite previous high profile incidents, the government has not implemented a comprehensive nationwide school security framework. Civil society groups have long warned that continued gaps leave students vulnerable, especially girls who face heightened risks of gender based violence and trafficking during abductions.
The president’s swift directive to security agencies signals awareness of these criticisms, but restoring public confidence will depend on tangible outcomes. In past cases, rescue operations have varied widely in speed and effectiveness. Some students have been located through negotiated releases, while others have remained missing for months or years. The Kebbi attack places immediate pressure on federal and state authorities to demonstrate a more coordinated approach, combining intelligence gathering, rapid deployment units and improved community reporting channels.
