In a dramatic turn of events, one of the 25 schoolgirls abducted from the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Kebbi, Nigeria, has managed to escape and return home safely. The school’s principal, Musa Rabi Magaji, confirmed the news to The Associated Press on Tuesday, stating that the student arrived home late Monday, just hours after the kidnapping occurred. Another student, who was not among the confirmed abductees, also escaped shortly after the attack. Both are reported to be unharmed. The incident took place in the early hours of Monday when gunmen stormed the school, killing a staff member and kidnapping the girls. Security forces have since ramped up efforts to rescue the remaining captives, with Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu, personally visiting the school and ordering “intelligence-driven operations” to locate the missing girls. No group has claimed responsibility for the abduction, but analysts suspect it could be the work of armed gangs known for targeting schools and communities for ransom. This incident highlights the ongoing security challenges in northern Nigeria, where mass kidnappings have become increasingly common. Experts attribute the crisis to rampant corruption, inadequate weapon supplies for security forces, and porous borders that facilitate the flow of arms to criminal groups. The kidnapping of schoolchildren, in particular, has been described as a strategic move by gangs to gain widespread attention and leverage.