Nigeria's Senate erupted in outrage over the kidnapping of 25 schoolgirls from a Kebbi State school, demanding urgent military recruitment and a probe into the Safe School Programme. Lawmakers highlighted the attack as a stark failure in national security, with one girl reported to have escaped. The incident underscores ongoing threats to education amid rising insecurity.
On Tuesday, November 18, 2025, the Nigerian Senate expressed profound anger following the abduction of 25 schoolgirls from Government Girls' Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Danko-Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State. The attack occurred around 4 p.m. the previous day, when terrorists stormed the school, killing the vice-principal and wounding the principal.
Senator Yahaya Abdullahi (Kebbi North), who moved the motion, described the incident as a 'heinous assault' on the nation's educational system, similar to a 2022 event in Kebbi. 'This is a slap in the face of our nation,' Abdullahi said. 'Parents are losing confidence in sending their children to school. What kind of nation cannot protect its children?' The Senate observed a minute of silence for the slain vice-principal and urged President Bola Tinubu to launch an immediate rescue mission.
In resolutions, the chamber called for recruiting at least 100,000 additional soldiers to address overstretched security forces, given Nigeria's population growth exceeding three percent annually. Senator Adams Oshiomhole emphasized the need for a forensic probe into the Safe School Programme, stating, 'It appears some individuals have turned security into a business—benefiting from appropriations while children remain exposed to danger.' Senate President Godswill Akpabio supported the investigation, noting, 'These criminals are targeting soft spots. We must find out why the Safe School Programme has failed.'
Other lawmakers voiced concerns over repeated attacks on girls, referencing the Chibok abductions and Leah Sharibu's case. Senator Simon Lalong advocated for technology-driven rescues: 'These girls were kidnapped yesterday. They did not vanish into thin air. They are somewhere, being moved around.' With modern tracking tools, he argued, locations could be identified swiftly. Senator Mohammed Tahir Munguno called it an assault on the state, saying the social contract for safety has been broken.
The Senate formed an ad hoc committee from committees on Finance, Defence, Army, Air Force, Education, and Police Affairs to investigate Safe School funding and vulnerabilities. Security forces have initiated search-and-rescue operations, though senators warned that without expanded manpower, accountability, and technology, such tragedies will persist. One of the abducted girls has escaped, offering a glimmer of hope amid the crisis.