Global human rights organisation Amnesty International has condemned the abduction of more than 25 schoolgirls from Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School (GGCSS), Maga, in Kebbi State, describing the incident as another tragic consequence of Nigeria’s persistent failure to protect its citizens from armed groups.

In a statement issued on Monday, Amnesty International said the early-morning attack underscores the Nigerian government’s inability to curb the worsening insecurity across the country.

“A Shocking Indictment of Government Failure”

According to the organisation, the schoolgirls were seized around 5:00 a.m. after gunmen invaded the school premises.

“The incident is a shocking indictment of the authorities’ persistent failure to protect people from attacks by armed groups that have killed thousands of Nigerians in the last decade,” the statement read.

Amnesty said its findings showed that armed men stormed the school, overpowered security personnel, and abducted the girls from their hostel.

Police Confirm Attack, Casualties, and Student Abductions

SaharaReporters earlier reported that the Kebbi State Police Command confirmed the abduction of at least 25 students in the early hours of Monday.

Police spokesperson CSP Nafi’u Abubakar Kotarkoshi said heavily armed bandits launched the attack around 4:00 a.m., engaging officers in a fierce gun battle. Despite the resistance, the attackers scaled the perimeter fence and forcibly took the students.

One staff member, Hassan Makuku, was killed in the assault, while another, Ali Shehu, sustained gunshot injuries to his right hand.

Amnesty International Faults Government Strategy

Amnesty International criticised the government’s security approach, stating that the mass abduction highlights an absence of effective planning and response mechanisms.

“The latest mass abductions clearly show President Bola Tinubu and his government have no effective plan for ending years of atrocities by armed groups and gunmen that are increasingly having a free rein across many parts of Nigeria,” it said.

The organisation added that “whatever security measures are being implemented by President Tinubu and his government are clearly not working.”

Call for Safe Release and Transparent Investigations

Amnesty International urged the Nigerian government to intensify efforts to secure the safe release of the abducted students and ensure their immediate return to their families.

It also called for transparent, thorough, and independent investigations into recurring abductions across the country.

“Authorities must promptly, thoroughly, impartially, independently, effectively, and transparently investigate the recurring cases of abductions, make public the findings, and ensure that suspected perpetrators are brought to justice in fair trials,” the organisation said.

Criticism Over Lack of School Security Measures

The rights organisation faulted authorities for failing to implement adequate security plans for schools in vulnerable areas, despite years of mass abductions targeting children.

“These failures have triggered a decline in school enrollment, posing a major setback for girls’ education,” Amnesty noted, warning that the country risks normalising the kidnapping of children if decisive steps are not taken.

Government Reminded of Its International Obligations

Amnesty International urged the government to comply with its obligations under the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, which guarantees children’s right to protection and education.

“Authorities must take immediate and concrete measures to prevent abductions that are gradually becoming the norm in Nigeria,” the statement added.