A United States lawmaker, Riley M. Moore, has expressed deep concern after 25 schoolgirls were kidnapped and a vice principal was killed during an attack in Kebbi State.
Moore reacted on X, calling for prayers for the victims and urging stronger action against rising insecurity in Northern Nigeria. He noted that the attack occurred in a Christian community and described the incident as “horrific.”
He wrote:
“Please join me in praying for the 25 girls who have been kidnapped and for the repose of the soul of their vice principal who was killed.
While we don’t have all the details on this horrific attack, we know that the attack occurred in a Christian enclave in Northern Nigeria.
The Nigerian government must do more to end the rampant violence.”
The attack happened early Monday when gunmen stormed Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga town. Witnesses said the attackers arrived before dawn and moved in a coordinated manner that overwhelmed the school’s security.
Police reported that officers engaged the attackers briefly before the gunmen scaled the school fence and abducted the girls. Vice Principal Hassan Yakubu Makuku was shot dead while trying to stop them, and another staff member was injured.
Security agencies said police tactical units, soldiers, and local vigilantes have been deployed to search surrounding forests believed to be the kidnappers’ escape routes. Authorities said the operation is ongoing to rescue the students.
The incident highlights the growing number of school kidnappings in Northwest Nigeria, where criminal groups frequently abduct students for ransom. Despite repeated government assurances, communities remain vulnerable to violent attacks.
The region has witnessed several major school abductions, including the 2014 Chibok incident, where 270 girls were taken by Boko Haram. Some of the victims are still missing more than a decade later.
