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Nigerian Teacher Recounts “night of horror” when Terrorists Abducted 25 Kebi School Girls

Samuel Rege, an Eyewitness to the Kidnap of 25 School Girls in Maga. Credit: Samuel Rege
Abah Anthony John

By Abah Anthony John

Aboard the papal plane, 22 November, 2025 / 10:56 pm (ACI Africa).

A Nigerian teacher who survived the attack on Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School (GGCSS) Maga in Kebbi State has recounted a “night of horror” that ended with the abduction of 25 girls at the institution, saying he remains deeply traumatized as 23 of the girls remain in captivity.

Samuel Rege, a Catholic faithful in the Diocese of Kontagora that serves Kebbi, and an internal examination officer at the school, told ACI Africa on Friday, November 21, that he continues to struggle with sleepless nights and fear after surviving what he described as “hours of uncontrollable shooting.”

“Sometimes when I hear even a small sound, I get frightened. The kind of gunshot I heard that day was too much for me. The trauma is still in me; it was a night of terror and horror,” Mr. Rege told ACI Africa.

He said that staff and students at the school remain psychologically unsettled since the attack.

“We are not finding things easy. We are traumatized,” he said. 

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Mr. Rege recounted that the attackers struck in the early hours of Monday, November 17. Earlier in the day, armed men in military uniform had been to the school.

He said the assailants, believed to be bandits, began shooting around 1 am.

“When they started shooting, the whole place was quiet. I flashed my torchlight, and that was when they fired at me,” he recalled. 

Mr Rege continued,  “They came inside my room to check, but they could not see me. They went out and kept shooting because my car was parked close to the house and they assumed I was there.”

Mr. Rege hid inside a room for nearly four hours as gunshots continued across the school compound. “They wanted me to come out, but I refused. I was so afraid,” he said.

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During the attack, the criminals forced entry into the home of another staff member, Mr. Hassan Yakubu, whom they killed after confirming his identity.

Mr. Rege said the attackers used machetes to open the gate and abducted 25 female students. Two of the girls later escaped, leaving 23 still in captivity.

“Up till now, we have not heard anything about the students,” he said.

Mr. Rege said the abducted students’ parents are devastated. 

“The parents gathered yesterday to meet with the principal, but we don’t know what they discussed,” he said.

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Mr. Rege appealed to government authorities to shut down schools that are located too far away from urban places in the country, and to work towards preventing further attacks. 

“The government should close schools that are not close to town. Places like Maghuta, Oriba, Senchi, and Tadorga. Because the bandits still have those schools in mind,” he said.

He noted that learning in the school has already suffered greatly since the attack saying, “The students are not concentrating. The teachers are not concentrating. Everyone is frightened and traumatized.”

He said the only thing that would ease his trauma is the safe return of the abducted girls. 

“If I can hear that those children are back, I will feel happy. We were very close to them. I feel very bad when I think about them,’ he said.

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He however asserted his strong faith in God, saying, “With God, things are going to be well.”

Abah Anthony John

Abah Anthony John is a Nigerian Catholic journalist with passion for Church communication and media apostolate. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mass communication from Benue State University, Makurdi in Benue State Nigeria. He has a background in print, electronic and multi-media production.