Maga Abduction: “I Have Failed My People,” Kebbi South Senator Maidoki Laments After Schoolgirls Kidnapped

Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School (GGCSS), Maga, in Danko Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State, was thrown into chaos in the early hours of Monday, November 17, 2025, when armed attackers invaded the school hostel, killed a security guard and abducted at least 24 female students.

In an interview aired on Arise Television, Senator representing Kebbi South, Garuba Maidoki, expressed deep sorrow over the incident, saying it plunged the entire country into grief and left him feeling personally responsible.

“I Failed My People” — Maidoki

Responding to questions about the attack — which was initially reported to include the killing of the school’s Vice Principal — Maidoki said the event marked “the most unfortunate week” of his life.

“When we heard about the kidnapping of the Chibok girls, we thought it was happening in some far-away place, like a fairy tale. Now this has happened right in my constituency, in Maga, Kebbi State,” he said.

He explained that he rushed home immediately after receiving the news to console the families of those killed and to reassure the community that authorities would work tirelessly to ensure the safe return of the abducted students.

Asked whether he felt he had failed his constituents, the senator replied:
“Yes. Right now, I feel that I have failed my people.”

He recalled telling residents during his campaign that their voter cards were “the greatest weapon” to secure their lives and urged them to elect leaders who could guarantee their safety. They listened, he noted, and he defeated the incumbent senator despite his party — the PDP — not controlling the state.

Bandit Occupation of Communities

Maidoki revealed that over 200 villages in the Zuru Emirate were once overrun by bandits.

“Yes, they were operating from there,” he said, noting that the attackers were largely economic bandits rather than ideologically driven groups. They stole livestock and kidnapped residents for ransom.

He credited earlier Senate interventions for helping security agencies reclaim these communities, though bandits still make incursions from neighbouring Zamfara, which is separated from Kebbi by just a river.

The senator disclosed that the Nigerian Army had previously identified and secured land for an operational base in the area but had yet to mobilise. “Their presence alone would guarantee safety,” he said.

Where the Students Were Taken

Maidoki praised the Nigerian military for engaging the attackers and said several soldiers were shot while attempting to stop the abductions.

“We have a fair idea of where the girls were taken; they are within my constituency in Kebbi South,” he said, adding that intelligence reports give strong hope of a rescue.

Security Weaknesses at Maga School

The senator blamed the attack partly on inadequate manpower.

“The biggest problem in Nigeria’s security is lack of boots on the ground,” he said, noting that 20 soldiers cannot withstand “over 300 terrorists riding on 300 motorcycles, carrying three bandits each, fully armed.”

He added that the school had long been a target.

How the Attackers Moved

The gunmen arrived and escaped on motorcycles — a tactic they have mastered even during the rainy season. They also stole cows during the raid.

“They transported them by road. The cows followed them and they formed a shield,” Maidoki explained.

Only one schoolgirl escaped, and she is safe. The injured principal is also recovering.

Clarifying the Deaths

Contrary to earlier reports, the Vice Principal was not killed.

“It was the head of security they killed,” Maidoki said. The attackers forced the guard to show them the girls’ location; when he refused, they shot him in front of his family. Another guard who resisted was also killed, while a third who complied later managed to sneak away.

Impact on the Community

Describing the atmosphere in Maga, the senator said:
“Maga is a ghost of itself.”

He added that parents of the abducted girls are devastated —
“Some of them think they are dreaming, hoping to wake up from the bad dream and see their daughters the following morning, while some have been hospitalized.”

Ongoing Government Response

Maidoki praised the swift involvement of the Federal Government, noting that the Chief of Army Staff, the Garrison Commander and the Vice President (representing the President) have all visited Kebbi.

He insisted that immediate focus remains on rescuing the girls, after which a broader conversation about securing the region’s vulnerable communities must follow.

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