FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE BAOBAB CONDEMNS THE ABDUCTION OF 25 SCHOOL GIRLS IN KEBBI STATE, DEMANDS URGENT GOVERNMENT ACTION

BAOBAB for Women’s Human Rights strongly condemns the abduction of twenty-five schoolgirls from Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, in Danko Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State. This tragic incident marks yet another alarming escalation of insecurity across Nigeria, with women and girls increasingly targeted in violent attacks. This systematic assault on girls’ education poses a severe threat to the nation’s future, undermining the fundamental constitutional rights of the Nigerian girl-child—rights to life, dignity, education, and safety.

A Disturbing Pattern of Targeted Violence

The insecurity plaguing Nigeria has reached a critical level, with women and girls enduring disproportionate levels of violence. From the Chibok abductions in 2014, to the Dapchi kidnapping in 2018, the Zamfara/Jangebe schoolgirls’ abduction in 2021, the Chikun/Bethel Baptist High School attack in 2021, and now the Kebbi incident in 2025, a troubling pattern has emerged. The Nigerian girl-child continues to face relentless threats—abuse at home, violations in public spaces, and repeated kidnappings in schools, spaces that should offer protection and hope. BAOBAB raises a pressing question: When will the rights and safety of the Nigerian girl-child become non-negotiable in everyday life?

These attacks have far-reaching consequences. Families now fear sending their children to school. Students’ psychological safety has been deeply shaken. Hard-won educational gains in the region are at risk. The recurrence of these kidnappings exposes significant gaps in the nation’s security and child-protection systems, underscoring the urgent need for comprehensive reform.

Urgent Call to Action

BAOBAB for Women’s Human Rights calls on the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Kebbi State Government, and all relevant security agencies to:

1. Take swift, decisive action to secure the immediate and safe release of the 25 abducted schoolgirls.

2. Strengthen security architecture around schools, particularly in high-risk zones.

3. Implement preventive frameworks, including community-based early warning mechanisms and rapid response systems.

4. Provide psychosocial support to families and students affected by the attack.

5. Ensure accountability by identifying, arresting, and prosecuting the perpetrators of this crime.

The safety and future of Nigeria’s girls must never be negotiable. Protecting their rights to life, dignity, education, and freedom from violence is a national responsibility.

BAOBAB stands firmly in solidarity with the abducted girls, their families, and the entire Kebbi State community. The organisation reaffirms its unwavering commitment to advocating for the rights, safety, and well-being of all Nigerian women and girls.

#ProtectNigerianGirls

Signed:

BAOBAB for Women’s Human Rights