A coalition of prominent women from Northern Nigeria, operating under the platform Voices for Inclusion and Equity for Women (VIEW), has expressed outrage over the abduction of schoolgirls from Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School, Maga, in Kebbi State.
In a strongly worded statement signed by Asmau Joda, Maryam Uwais, Mairo Mandara, Aisha Oyebode, Fatima Akilu, Kadaria Ahmed, Larai Ocheja Amusan and Ier Jonathan-Ichaver, the group described the incident as a grave indictment of Nigeria’s failure to protect its most vulnerable citizens.
Armed men reportedly attacked the school at dawn over the weekend, killing the Vice Principal and abducting 25 girls.
“This is not simply another security incident. It is a brutal indictment of the Nigerian State’s failure to protect its most vulnerable citizens,” the statement said.
VIEW noted that the attack is a painful reminder of a decade-long pattern of mass abductions in Northern Nigeria, recalling similar tragedies in Chibok, Dapchi, Jangebe and other communities.
“More than ten years after Chibok… we find ourselves reliving the same nightmare,” the women said, lamenting that despite huge investments in the Safe Schools Initiative, schools remain exposed to violent attacks.
The group questioned the commitment of political, traditional and security leaders in the region.
“Where are the elected officials who swore oaths to defend the lives of citizens? Where are the governors, senators, and community leaders who should be standing between our children and danger?” they asked, stressing that Northern Nigeria, which already suffers the highest rate of female illiteracy, continues to push girls into deeper vulnerability.
VIEW warned that northern mothers are increasingly asking whether the persistent attacks are part of a deliberate or negligent pattern aimed at keeping young girls uneducated and powerless.
The coalition demanded immediate, coordinated, intelligence-driven rescue operations, daily public briefings, and visible leadership from the President, First Lady, Governor of Kebbi State, Northern Governors’ Forum, Northern Senators Forum, security chiefs, and traditional and faith leaders.
“This is not a moment for silence. This is not a moment for excuses. This is a moment for accountability and swift action,” the group declared.
They insisted that the abduction of the Maga girls must be treated as a national emergency, not a political talking point.
“Northern women are tired of mourning, tired of pleading, tired of burying children while those in power offer condolences instead of solutions,” the statement continued.
The group called for unity among women and demanded urgent reforms to guarantee safety in schools, warning that Nigeria cannot claim to value its future while abandoning its daughters to violence.
“No nation can claim to value its future while abandoning its daughters. The girls of Maga must be located, rescued, and reunited with their families without delay. Their return is a test of our leadership — and our humanity,” VIEW declared.
VIEW is a coalition of women from the North Central, Northeast and Northwest committed to promoting equity, inclusion and justice for women across Nigeria.
