The Northern States Governors’ Forum has condemned the abduction of 25 female students from Government Girls’ Comprehensive Senior Secondary School, Maga, in the Danko area of Kebbi State.
The attack, which also claimed the life of a school official, has triggered widespread concern across the region.
Speaking in Gombe on Monday, the forum’s chairman and Governor of Gombe State, Inuwa Yahaya, described the incident as “tragic, senseless, and utterly unacceptable.”
A statement issued by his media aide said Yahaya warned that continued assaults on educational institutions endanger regional stability and undermine years of efforts aimed at improving school enrollment and addressing the out-of-school crisis in northern Nigeria.
Yahaya, who spoke on behalf of all Northern governors, extended condolences to the Kebbi State Government, the families of the abducted students, and the relatives of the slain school official.
He pledged the forum’s full support to Governor Nasir Idris, describing the attack as a heartbreaking blow to a region already grappling with insecurity.
The governor stressed that schools must remain safe spaces for learning, not targets of violence. He cautioned that repeated attacks on educational facilities risk discouraging families from sending their children to school, thereby reversing gains made in expanding access to education.
Expressing deep concern for the abducted girls, Yahaya called on security agencies to launch a “well-coordinated and comprehensive” rescue operation.
He urged that the perpetrators be apprehended and prosecuted, insisting that swift action was necessary to restore public confidence in the nation’s security architecture.
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He reaffirmed the NSGF’s commitment to collaborating with the Federal Government, military authorities, and other security institutions to strengthen regional security.
According to him, safeguarding the lives and future of young Nigerians remains a top priority for all Northern governors.
Yahaya also appealed to local communities to remain vigilant and support ongoing security efforts aimed at identifying and eliminating criminal elements.
Community involvement, he noted, is critical to detecting threats early and preventing further attacks.
The kidnapping in Kebbi is the latest in a troubling pattern of school-targeted assaults across the Northwestand Northeast, where insurgents and bandits have repeatedly attacked educational centres despite increased government investments in security.
The incident has intensified calls for more robust intelligence gathering and improved coordination among security agencies.
As rescue efforts continue, regional leaders and civil society groups have renewed demands for long-term reforms, increased funding for security operations, and proactive measures to safeguard schools across the country.
