Northern Women’s Coalition Condemns Maga Schoolgirls’ Abduction, Demands Immediate Government Action
By Katsina times
A coalition of prominent women leaders under the banner of Voices for Inclusion and Equity for Women (VIEW) has expressed outrage over the abduction of 25 schoolgirls from Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School, Maga, in Kebbi State.
The incident, which occurred two days ago, involved armed men who reportedly stormed the school at dawn, killed the Vice Principal, and abducted the students. VIEW described the attack as “a brutal indictment of the Nigerian state’s failure to protect its most vulnerable citizens.”
In a strongly worded statement issued on Monday, the group lamented that more than a decade after the Chibok, Dapchi, Jangebe and several other mass kidnappings, schools in Northern Nigeria remain exposed to security threats.
“This is not simply another security incident. It forces us to confront an uncomfortable truth: northern Nigeria is still one of the most dangerous places in the world for a girl seeking an education,” the group said.
According to VIEW, despite multiple government promises and significant funding committed to the Safe Schools Initiative, Nigerian schoolchildren—particularly girls—remain vulnerable to mass abductions, sexual violence, and attacks from armed groups.
The coalition questioned the commitment of political leaders in the region, asking: “Where are the governors, senators, and community leaders who should be standing between our children and danger? Where are the security agencies meant to implement the Safe Schools Initiative with seriousness and transparency?”
VIEW also raised concerns that the persistent attacks could be interpreted as part of a broader pattern—intentional or through negligence—contributing to the continued marginalisation of girls in northern Nigeria.
The group demanded immediate, intelligence-driven rescue operations and called for coordinated, transparent responses from the federal and state governments. It insisted that the abduction must be treated as a national emergency, not “another tragedy absorbed into Nigeria’s growing archive of grief.”
VIEW called directly on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the First Lady, the Kebbi State Government, the Northern Governors’ Forum, Northern Senators’ Forum, Arewa House of Representatives Caucus, the Arewa Consultative Forum, traditional and religious leaders, and the heads of national security agencies to “stand up and be counted.”
“This is not a moment for silence or excuses,” the statement said. “Northern women are tired of mourning, tired of pleading, and tired of burying children while leaders offer condolences instead of solutions.”
They emphasized that every additional day the girls remain in captivity increases their trauma and the risks to their safety.
“No nation can claim to value its future while abandoning its daughters to violence,” VIEW said. “The girls of Maga must be located, rescued, and reunited with their families without delay. Nothing is more urgent.”
The statement was signed by prominent members of VIEW, including Asmau Joda, Maryam Uwais, Mairo Mandara, Aisha Oyebode, Fatima Akilu, Kadaria Ahmed, Larai Ocheja Amusan, and Ierl Jonathan-Ichaver.
VIEW is a coalition operating across North Central, Northeast, and Northwest Nigeria, advocating inclusive and equitable societies for women.
