Brave Schoolgirl Escapes as Search Continues for 24 Missing Students in Nigeria

In a heartbreaking turn of events, 24 schoolgirls were taken from their dormitory in Maga, Nigeria, while one brave student managed to escape. The incident happened early Monday morning when armed men stormed the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School. These men climbed over the school fence, exchanged gunfire with police, and sadly, killed a staff member. The girls are still missing, and no group has taken responsibility. However, experts say that these kinds of kidnappings are common in northern Nigeria. Bandits, who are often former herders, target schools, travelers, and remote villages for ransom. The school is near areas known for conflict, like Zamfara and Sokoto states, where these gangs hide out. The escaped student made it back home late Monday, and another student avoided being taken right after the attack. A video shows the two girls, looking lost in thought, surrounded by family and villagers. High schoolers in Nigeria are usually between 12 and 17 years old. Efforts to find and rescue the missing girls are in full swing. Security forces and local hunters are searching nearby forests and roads. Kebbi Governor Nasir Idris visited the school and promised to bring the girls back safely. The Nigerian Army Chief also met with soldiers and ordered relentless pursuit of the abductors. Families in Maga are waiting for news, feeling angry and frustrated. One resident, Abdulkarim Abdullahi, heard the gunshots from his home. His daughter and granddaughter, aged 13 and 10, are among the kidnapped. Another resident, Amina Hassan, recounted how the attackers broke into her home and fatally shot her husband, the school's vice principal and chief security officer. School abductions have become a strategy to gain attention. Since Boko Haram kidnapped 276 Chibok schoolgirls over a decade ago, at least 1, 500 students have been seized in the region. Analysts blame the insecurity on the failure to prosecute known attackers and corruption that limits weapons for security forces while supplying gangs.