A Facebook user, Innocent Case, shared an image on October 26, 2026, claiming that bandits abducted 40 students and killed the Vice Principal of the Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School in Maga, Zamfara State. The post sparked concerns and comments from users, with some expressing fears about the safety of students in Zamfara State. The claim quickly gained traction, with 10 likes and two comments on the post.
Upon investigation, DUBAWA, a fact-checking organization, found that the claim was false. The image used in the post was traced to a school abduction in Maga, Kebbi State, involving 25 students. The incident occurred on November 17, 2025, when bandits abducted 25 students from the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State, and killed the school's Vice Principal, Hassan Makuku.
DUBAWA conducted keyword searches to verify the abduction of 40 students and the death of the Vice Principal in Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School, Maga, Zamfara State. However, no results were found to support the claim. Instead, a report published by Premium Times on June 3, 2026, revealed that bandits abducted seven students of Federal Polytechnic, Kaura Namoda, Zamfara State.
Further investigation revealed that Maga is a town in the Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State, not Zamfara State. The Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School, Maga, is also located in Kebbi State, not Zamfara. DUBAWA's findings were corroborated by residents of Zamfara State, who denied the claim and stated that no such school exists in the state.
The Zamfara State Government and the Zamfara State Police Command did not issue any statements or press releases about the alleged attack. DUBAWA contacted the PRO of the Zamfara State Police, DSP Yazid Abubakar, but he did not respond to calls. The organization's investigation was thorough, and their findings indicate that the claim was entirely fabricated.
The incident in Kebbi State, which the Facebook post referred to, occurred on November 17, 2025, and was widely reported by reputable news organizations, including Channels Television, The New York Times, Reuters, and BBC. These reports confirmed that bandits abducted 25 students and killed the Vice Principal in Kebbi State.
In conclusion, the claim that 40 students were abducted from Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School, Maga, Zamfara State, is false. The image used in the post was traced to an abduction incident at Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School, Maga, Kebbi State, on November 17, 2025. DUBAWA's investigation exposed the misinformation, which could have heightened tensions among citizens in Zamfara State.
Key points
- The claim that bandits abducted 40 students in Zamfara State is false.
- The image used in the post was traced to a school abduction in Maga, Kebbi State, involving 25 students.
- Maga is a town in the Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State, not Zamfara State.
