In brief
In a harrowing incident, armed men attacked the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Kebbi State, Nigeria, resulting in the death of a teacher and the abduction of 25 students. The attack underscores the persistent threat posed by armed groups in northern Nigeria, which have increasingly targeted educational institutions for kidnappings, often for ransom. The local police and military are conducting a search and rescue operation, as families in the area anxiously await news of their loved ones' safety.
Armed men have killed a teacher and abducted at least 25 students in an attack on a girls' secondary school in north-western Nigeria, police say.
The gang invaded the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State, at around 04:00 local time (0300 GMT) on Monday, they said.
The attackers engaged police personnel on duty in a gun duel before scaling the perimeter fence and seizing the students from their hostel, a statement said.
One member of staff was killed while trying to protect the students. A second sustained gunshot wounds and is now receiving treatment.
Eyewitnesses described a large group of attackers, known locally as bandits, who arrived firing sporadically to cause panic.
Residents told the BBC that the gunmen subsequently marched a number of girls into nearby bushland.
The police said they had deployed additional police tactical units, alongside military personnel and vigilante groups to the area.
A coordinated search and rescue operation is underway in surrounding forests and suspected escape routes.
In recent years, schools in northern Nigeria have become frequent targets for armed groups, who often carry out abductions to seek ransom payments or leverage deals with the government.
The attack in Kebbi State highlights the persistent security crisis plaguing the region, leaving families in Maga in a state of fearful exhaustion as they wait and hope for their daughters' safe return.
