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Summary
Executive Director of the Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre, Dr Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, has condemned the abduction of 25 schoolgirls from a secondary school in Kebbi State. She said it was unbearable for families to face such violence repeatedly.
Dr Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, Executive Director of the Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC), has condemned the abduction of 25 schoolgirls in Kebbi State, calling the incident a heartbreaking reflection of Nigeria’s failure to protect children.
On Nov. 17, 2025, armed men attacked the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State.
The terrorists reportedly scaled the school fence, killed a staff member during the assault, and abducted 25 students from their hostel before escaping. Security agencies have since launched a search-and-rescue operation.
Reacting in a post shared on her X account on Nov. 17, Abiola said the country cannot continue ignoring the constant attacks on schoolchildren. Describing the incident as heartbreaking, she noted that girls cannot continue to pay the price for a country that fails to protect them.
She criticised the repeated cycle of school attacks and condemned how quickly people will move on from this, stating,
“Another school has been attacked, more daughters stolen, a staff member killed, and yet we move on as if their lives don’t matter.”
She added that it was unbearable for families to keep reliving the same horror, stressing that parents should not have to fear abduction or death simply for sending their children to school. The Executive Director emphasised that the protection of children must be treated as a national priority, insisting that the safety of every Nigerian child must be non-negotiable.
She urged the government to improve its protection of children, insisting that every child deserves safety, dignity, and a future free from fear.
“Nigeria must do better. We owe these children safety, dignity, and a future free from fear,” she said.
