The Sultan of Sokoto-led Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) has condemned the abduction of schoolgirls from the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School (GGCSS) in Maga, Danko-Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State, and called for urgent action to secure their release.
In a statement issued Wednesday, the JNI described the incident as “heartless, tragic and utterly avoidable,” lamenting that it comes just days after a Security Summit held in Birnin-Kebbi on November 10, 2025.
The Sultan highlighted that this latest attack is part of a disturbing trend, recalling previous abductions in Chibok, Dapchi, Kankara, and Kagara.
The statement emphasised that the recurrent nature of such abductions is a blow to parents and communities, noting that security surveillance around schools should have been adequate, especially given the ongoing threats to boarding students, particularly girls. “This is too much to bear on the parents,” JNI said.
JNI, through the Secretary-General, Prof. Khalid Abubakar Aliyu, said the organisation has been monitoring developments closely and expressed concern over apparent gaps in security coordination in Kebbi State. The statement cited the recent abduction and release of the Deputy Speaker of the Kebbi State House of Assembly, suggesting a worrying pattern of brazen criminality.
According to JNI, repeated attacks on schoolgirls show that security operatives often act reactively rather than proactively, with little information provided to reassure anxious parents and guardians. “Do we really understand the magnitude of these repeated events?” the statement asked.
The statement drew parallels between Maga and previous attacks in Chibok and Dapchi, noting that the modus operandi of the perpetrators bears similarity to past commando-style operations. JNI questioned how the attackers gained access to the school and whether security operatives employed intelligence strategies that could have prevented the abduction.
Beyond the immediate tragedy, JNI warned that such abductions are a potent barrier to girl-child education in Northern Nigeria. “No parent will now be comfortable allowing their daughters to attend unprotected schools. And the North is the loser,” the statement said, urging northern governors to take decisive action.
The JNI extended condolences to the families of the killed Vice-Principal of the school, the parents of the kidnapped girls, and prayed for the safe return of the victims. The organisation also offered prayers for the strength and protection of all personnel engaged in combating criminality across Nigeria.
In a strong call to action, JNI urged governments at all levels to do everything possible to ensure the return of the abducted girls from Maga, Dapchi, Chibok, and other affected areas. “It is time for decisive action, no more rhetoric. Enough should be enough,” the statement stressed.
The religious body also called on Muslim communities to engage in Qunootun-Nawazil, special prayers during times of calamity, as well as the remembrance of Allah (Adhkar) and supplications in Sujood, as tools to ease fear and uncertainty amid the country’s security challenges.
JNI recommended maximum security for all girls’ schools, both boarding and day schools, while urging vigilance from school management and authorities to prevent further attacks.
The statement further warned North-Central governors to be on red alert, noting that while the North-East and North-West have experienced abductions, the North-Central region could be next due to forested and remote areas. “Paying lip service is no longer enough; proactive security measures must be taken,” JNI said.
JNI, however, called for collaboration between all levels of government and security agencies to nip insecurity in the bud and avert a potential national crisis. “Government must rise against the tide of insecurity in whatever guise, before it becomes cataclysmic for the Nigerian state,” the statement concluded.
