By: Muhammad Ibrahim, Sokoto.

The Gender Educators Initiative (GEI) has expressed deep concern and distress over the recent abduction of schoolgirls from Government Secondary School, Maga, in Danko-Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State.

In a statement signed by Shafa’atu Suleiman, Executive Lead of GEI, the organisation condemned the heinous act in the strongest terms and called on the Federal Government—working in collaboration with security agencies and the Kebbi State Government—to act swiftly to ensure the safe and immediate release of the abducted students.

GEI described the tragic incident as another painful reminder of the growing insecurity in the North-West, where women, girls, and children continue to be disproportionately affected by violence, abductions, and displacement.

The organisation urged the Federal Government to adopt proactive, intelligence-driven, and community-centred security strategies to prevent further attacks on schools, communities, and other vulnerable populations across the region.

The statement further called on the Government to:

Strengthen school security architecture through the Safe Schools Initiative by ensuring functional perimeter fencing, trained security personnel, and effective early-warning systems in all high-risk areas.

Invest in community policing and local intelligence networks to enhance early detection and rapid response to threats.

Prioritize the safety of women and children by expanding psychosocial support services, emergency shelters, and trauma care for survivors of violence.

Enhance collaboration between security agencies and local communities to facilitate timely information sharing, trust-building, and coordinated operations.

Address the root causes of insecurity, including poverty, unemployment, and the lack of educational opportunities that continue to fuel violence and criminal activity in the North-West.

GEI emphasized that women and children bear the greatest burden of insecurity, facing abductions, sexual violence, exploitation, and long-term trauma. Their protection, the organisation stressed, must be central to all national security strategies.

The group expressed solidarity with the families of the abducted schoolgirls and the entire community of Maga during this difficult time. It urged the Federal Government not only to secure their safe return but also to ensure that no Nigerian child is ever forced to choose between education and safety.

“We call for urgent action. The lives and futures of our children depend on it,” GEI stated.