The Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, has appealed for the immediate and unconditional release of the 25 schoolgirls abducted in Kebbi State, describing the attack as a blow to the dignity and future of Nigerian children.
Speaking at the 7th National Children’s Parliament in Abuja, during the launch of The State of the Nigerian Girl Child Report II (2025), the minister—represented by Permanent Secretary, Maryam Keshinro—said every Nigerian parent feels the pain of the girls’ abduction.
Gunmen had stormed the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, where they kidnapped the students and killed Vice Principal Hassan Yakubu Makuku.
“As a mother, as minister, and as a citizen, I demand their immediate and unconditional release,” she said, assuring that Nigeria’s security forces have the capacity to bring the girls home safely.
The minister also unveiled new data showing child marriage has dropped nationally from 44% to 28.6%, but warned that the figures remain alarming, with UNICEF estimating nearly 25 million child brides in Nigeria. Some northern states still record world-high rates—74% in Bauchi, 72% in Jigawa, and 67% in Zamfara.
She announced a fully funded National Action Plan to End Child Marriage, aimed at keeping girls in school and protecting their futures. The event also saw the launch of new guidelines on alternative care for children and Nigeria’s first National Boy-Child Policy.
Save the Children International’s Country Director, Duncan Harvey, welcomed the progress, calling for continued investment in children’s rights, education, and safety.
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