Residents of Maga in the Danko-Wasagu area of Kebbi State are preparing for a special prayer session on Friday, seeking divine help for the safe return of the schoolgirls taken earlier in the week. The District Head of Maga, Muhammad Sanid Dantani, confirmed the plan noting that the community has been thrown into deep distress since the incident.
He explained that the people of Maga have been gathering daily, supporting the affected families and turning to prayer as security agencies continue their rescue efforts. Dantani said the community believes this collective spiritual appeal is vital at a time when they feel shaken and vulnerable.
The schoolgirls were abducted on Monday when armed men stormed Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School, Maga, taking 25 students and leaving the community in shock. The attack happened less than an hour after security personnel assigned to the school reportedly withdrew, a development that residents say left the area exposed.
This latest abduction adds to a troubling pattern of school attacks across northern Nigeria, with communities in Kebbi State-especially those in Yauri and surrounding towns-still haunted by previous incidents.
Friday’s prayer session is expected to draw clerics, traditional leaders, public officials and residents as the community unites in hope. Dantani added that the gathering will also seek peace across the region, which continues to face repeated violence despite ongoing military operations.
Governor Nasir Idris had earlier visited Maga to reassure families that the government and security agencies are working around the clock to recover the girls. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, also promised that every necessary resource will be deployed to bring the victims home.
Zuru town held a similar prayer session on Wednesday and Thursday, reflecting the widespread concern across the state.
