🇳🇬 

ABUJA, NIGERIA — All 24 schoolgirls abducted from a boarding school in northwestern Nigeria's Kebbi State have been rescued, the country's president announced on Tuesday, a little over a week after their terrifying ordeal began.¹

The girls were seized on November 17 from the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga town, Kebbi State, when armed assailants stormed the premises, killing an official and injuring a security guard.² Authorities initially reported 25 abductions, but one girl managed to escape shortly after the attack.³

Joyful Relief Amid Scant Details

President Bola Tinubu confirmed the release in a statement, expressing his relief.⁴ "I am relieved that all the 24 girls have been accounted for," the statement read. "Now, we must put as a matter of urgency more boots on the ground in the vulnerable areas to avert further incidents of kidnapping."

• Abduction Date: November 17⁵

• Location: Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga town, Kebbi State.⁶

• Number Abducted: 25 (24 rescued; 1 escaped earlier)

• Circumstances of Release: Details regarding the rescue operation or whether a ransom was paid have not been released by the authorities.⁷

• Condition: The girls are reported to be in the custody of authorities, with initial reports suggesting they are in good health.

The news was met with excitement and relief by the girls' families. One father, Abdulkarim Abdullahi, whose two daughters were among the abducted, told The Associated Press that the past few days had been "difficult" and that he "can't wait to see them in good health."⁸

Part of a Disturbing Trend

The mass abduction is the latest in a series of school kidnappings that have plagued Nigeria, particularly in the northern regions, since the infamous 2014 Chibok girls' kidnapping.⁹ Criminal gangs, often referred to locally as "bandits," have increasingly targeted schools and rural communities for ransom.¹⁰

The Kebbi attack was followed by a wave of other mass abductions across the country, highlighting the persistent security crisis:¹¹

• Niger State: On November 21, over 300 students and staff were abducted from a Catholic school in Niger State.¹² While 50 students have since escaped, many remain missing.¹³

• Kwara State: Other "copycat kidnappings" have been reported, including the seizure of women and children in Kwara State.¹⁴

President Tinubu has called on security forces to intensify efforts to free others still held captive across Nigeria, emphasizing the need for continuous surveillance and coordinated operations to neutralize hostile elements.¹⁵