Category Nigeria News

The Vice-Principal’s death was claimed by the Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School, Maga, in Kebbi State, and 25 students were abducted as a result of the attack, which the Federal Government has condemned.

The Federal Government stated in a statement released on Monday that the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, had given clear instructions to locate, rescue, and safely return the students and that the perpetrators had been brought to justice.

The government expressed deep concern and support for the children’s families, saying it felt the same way about them and was still working to get the girls released.

President Bola Tinubu has once more stated that the State has a solemn duty to protect all Nigerians, especially those who attend school.

Also read: Bandits Abduct 25 Schoolgirls, Kill Vice Principal In Deadly Attack On Kebbi School.

The government condemns the abhorrent killing of school officials who were performing their noble duty and the reprehensible attack on innocent students.

Our security and intelligence agencies have received clear instructions to locate, rescue, and safely return the students, as well as to ensure that the criminals are brought to justice. At the end of this goal, the Federal Government will not step back.

“We reassure Nigerians that the top priority is always going to be strengthening internal security.” To better prevent these attacks and respond to threats with greater speed and precision, the federal government is updating its military, policing, and intelligence capabilities.

Through ECOWAS, the African Union, and the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), Nigeria is also strengthening its cooperation with regional partners to protect our borders and combat terrorist and criminal networks. The statement read in part reads, “We urge the public to remain calm and assured.”

When gunmen stormed the Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area of the state on Sunday night, the students reportedly were evacuated.

According to sources, Malam Hassan Makuku, the vice-principal of the school, was killed before the attackers abducted several schoolgirls.

The wife of Maga, the slain Vice Principal of Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School, has described how her daughter escaped during the deadly attack that resulted in the abduction of 25 schoolgirls.

The family was sleeping when the attackers broke into their home around 3:30 a.m., according to Amina Hassan.

“We were sleeping around three in the morning when I heard footsteps behind our window,” I said. I then attempted to alert my husband by letting him know that our outdoor items are being destroyed by animals. There was a bang on our door before I realized it, she said, and it was forcefully opened.

According to Mrs. Hassan, they initially believed there was an animal cause the disturbance.

“So I called my husband to let him know that the animals have invaded our home and are systematically destroying our belongings.” We became aware that they were robbers carrying guns and not animals as soon as he erupted.

We began to have issues with them. Then one of them shot my husband with his gun as he pulled it out. She said, “Then they dragged me by my hand outside the house.”

She continued, “I told them to leave me alone because they have murdered the father of my children and are requesting that the children sleep,” and that I would not go with them.

Mrs. Hassan claimed that her daughter intervened during the conflict.

When my daughter came out, I was still arguing with them. Then they took her with them, leading them to the hostel, and then they left me.

Then they instructed her to recline so they could also shoot her. She then instructed them to “I should lay down so that you can shoot me.” They responded “yes.”

She then requested that they let her leave to unwind. They then opened the door and saw other girls, causing my girl to lose her mind, she said.

The wife of the vice principal claimed that by removing this distraction, her daughter was able to escape.

She was able to escape into the bush by doing that. It was already morning by the time she returned, she said.

Abduction of schoolgirls

Shortly after leaving the staff quarters, the bandits stormed the school hostel.
Malam Hassan Makuku, vice principal, was killed, and 25 students were abducted.

Witnesses claimed that the attackers lacked any resistance and feared the neighborhood.

During the invasion, Makuku allegedly was shot while attempting to protect the students.

CSP Nafiu Abubakar, a spokesman for the Kebbi Police, confirmed the Vice Principal’s abduction and murder.

He claimed that vigilantes, soldiers, and police tactical teams had been deployed.
He claimed that they were pursuing attackers’ arrest and rescue in nearby forests.

He claimed that the gunmen stormed the school and removed 25 students.

Deputy Governor Senator Umar Tafida was dispatched to assess the situation, Kebbi Governor Nasir Idris claimed through his chief press secretary, Ahmed Idris.

He claimed that security briefings were being given to the governor while he was away.

The attack was denounced by the federal government. According to information minister Mohammed Idris, security forces were instructed to track down the students and ensure their safe rescue.

He claimed that Bola Tinubu, the president, held the state’s top priority to protect students.

Residents continue to mourn Makuku’s passing while defending his students. As the search for the missing girls continues, parents are concerned.

Seven people have died in a lone road crash along the Kiyawa–Azare Road in Jigawa State after a commercial bus lost control and somersaulted multiple times, police confirmed on Sunday.

The accident occurred near Jigawan Kurma village in Kiyawa Local Government Area.

According to the police, the Toyota Hummer Bus travelling from Kano to Potiskum with 18 passengers on board suffered a sudden rear tyre burst while on speed.

“The vehicle lost control instantly, somersaulted several times, and veered off the road,” a police spokesperson said, describing the scene as “severe and tragic.”

A team from the Motor Traffic Division, led by the Divisional Police Officer in Kiyawa, was dispatched to the crash site for rescue operations.

Police said seven people, including the 70-year-old driver, Mallam Ibrahim Potiskum, died on the spot.

“Seven occupants sadly could not survive the impact,” the statement added. “We have secured all recovered luggage and deposited the bodies at the hospital mortuary. Efforts are ongoing to identify and contact the families.”

READ ALSO: Road Accidents May Claim 65,000 Lives By 2030 Without Investment In Safety — Chidoka

Eleven injured passengers were rushed to the General Hospital in Dutse.

Medical officials confirmed that four of them have been treated and discharged, while the remaining victims are still receiving care.

Jigawa State Commissioner of Police, CP Dahiru Muhammad, expressed sympathy to the bereaved families.

“Our hearts go out to everyone affected by this unfortunate incident,” he said. “We pray for the quick recovery of the survivors.”

He also issued a reminder to motorists to prioritise safety on the highways.

“We urge drivers to carry out routine checks, maintain their vehicles properly, and drive with caution. Tyre bursts, excessive speed, and fatigue remain major causes of fatal crashes in Nigeria,” he warned.

Road safety experts continue to raise concerns about Nigeria’s high rate of preventable road deaths.

“Tyre-related crashes are still among the top contributors to fatalities on our roads,” one expert noted, calling for stricter enforcement of vehicle maintenance standards.

Over 9,000 beneficiaries have been recorded as the Federal Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) and the Bank of Industry, has rolled out the Tertiary Institutions Staff Support Fund (TISSF).

The new scheme is designed to improve the welfare of academic and non-academic staff across Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.

In a statement released on the official X handle of the National Orientation Agency on Monday, under the initiative, eligible staff of federal and selected state universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education can access interest-free loans of up to ₦10 million, repayable over a maximum of five years, following a 12-month moratorium.

According to details released by the Ministry, about 248 institutions nationwide have been cleared to participate in the programme.

These include all federal universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education, as well as one state university, one state polytechnic, and one state college of education in each state.

READ ALSO: FG Opens Portal For ₦50m Student Venture Grant

The Ministry also confirmed that in the first phase of disbursement, more than 9,000 staff members of eligible institutions have already received payments under the scheme.

The over 9,000 beneficiaries account for 28 per cent of the 33,000 verified applicants drawn from around 219 federal and state tertiary institutions.

A former minister of aviation and former corps marshal of Federal Road Safety Corps, Osita Chidoka, has called on the government to invest in safety and precaution measures on the roads to avoid accidents on the highways.

Chidoka made the call on Monday during an interview with Channels Television’s The Morning Brief.

READ ALSO: UPDATED: Policeman, Five Others Dead As Trucks Collide On Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

He said that if the government failed to invest in road safety, by 2030 at least 65,000 lives would have been lost to road crashes if care is not taken.

“No country loses 5,000 people from a particular incident and does nothing. But let me tell you the price of doing nothing, if we do nothing and this thing keeps growing at the current 10 per cent between 2024 and 2025, and FRSC remains without patrol vehicles and fueling to go about at least reducing speed on our highway, by 2030, we would have lost at least 65,000 Nigerians from road crashes.

“It could be me, it could be you, and could be anybody, and that is not good enough,” Chidoka said.

‘Vision Zero Possible’

The former minister further stated that it was possible to reduce fatalities and serious injuries in road crashes.

“Vision zero is possible, and I tell people that I’m passionate about road safety. Road safety is not the same as FRSC. FRSC is the Federal Road Safety Corps, but road safety is an issue that Nigerians should be interested in,” he noted.

“I am saying to Mr President, we don’t need any new legislation, we don’t need any new laws.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Bauchi Zone, has raised the alarm over what it described as the Federal Government’s lack of commitment to resolving lingering issues in the nation’s university system.

It warned that another nationwide strike may be imminent if urgent actions were not taken.

READ ALSO: ASUU Suspends Warning Strike, Gives FG One Month To Address Demands

Speaking during a press conference held at Plateau State University (PLASU), Bokkos, on Saturday, November 15, 2025, the zonal coordinator, Timothy Namo, claimed that the government had shown little interest in addressing key matters despite the suspension of the union’s two-week warning strike declared on October 13, 2025.

Namo recalled that ASUU suspended the warning strike on October 21 after a National Executive Council (NEC) emergency meeting, where the union observed an overwhelming show of support from students, the media, labour unions, the National Assembly, and concerned Nigerians.

The suspension, he said, was intended to create room for meaningful engagement and resolution.

‘Nothing Substantial Achieved’

However, he lamented that “barely one week to the expiration of the four-week window given to the government, nothing substantial has been achieved”.

According to him, the NEC meeting held from November 8 to 9 at Taraba State University rejected the salary increment proposal presented by the government, describing it as “a drop in the ocean, far below expectations to reverse the brain drain syndrome that has crippled the university system across Nigeria”.

He stressed that while some non-monetary aspects of the renegotiation process had recorded progress, the most critical components—salaries and working conditions—remain unresolved.

He also frowned at what he termed a deliberate attempt by some government officials to undermine negotiations.

“There is no sufficient evidence from the government’s response so far to suggest that education is a priority in Nigeria and that the government truly desires to avert a crisis in the universities,” Namo said.

He criticised the partial payment of promotion arrears dating back to 2017 and the release of third-party deductions as inadequate gestures, saying they do little to rebuild trust.

‘Lack Of Political Will’

Contrary to the government’s claims of insufficient funds, ASUU cited financial allocations showing significant increases to both federal and state governments.

Namo further noted that states received ₦3.92 trillion in 2022 and ₦5.81 trillion in 2024, while the Federal Government received ₦3.42 trillion in 2022 and ₦4.65 trillion in 2024, representing increases of more than 62 per cent and 70 per cent, respectively.

“These statistics confirm that it is not lack of funds but lack of political will and misplacement of priorities that make education suffer in Nigeria,” he insisted.

The union called on traditional rulers, civil society organisations, student bodies, the Nigeria Labour Congress, and the National Assembly to intervene to prevent another disruption of academic activities.

Namo also urged the government to use the remaining days of the negotiation window wisely, saying the surest way to safeguard the nation’s future is through massive investment in education.