A tense dawn confrontation unfolded in Aiyetoro Kiri on Wednesday after gunmen invaded Kiri High School, attempting to seize students in what residents described as a terrifying but brief assault.
The attackers stormed the quiet Kabba Bunu community with the clear intent to abduct students but their plan collapsed almost immediately.
Vigilante operatives in the area, already on alert due to rising insecurity across the north-central region, mobilised within minutes.
Their rapid response forced the gunmen to abandon the students they had seized, leading to a full rescue.
Local residents told reporters that no student is missing following the confrontation. “The boys acted faster than anyone expected,” a community elder said. “Their courage saved the children.”
However, the victory came with painful losses. One vigilante member was killed during the exchange with the bandits.
A resident also reported that a Hausa man living in the area was caught in the gunfire and died before help could arrive. Community members described the deaths as “a heavy price for safety”.
Wednesday’s attempted abduction adds to the growing unease spreading across northern Nigeria, where mass kidnappings have surged dramatically in recent weeks.
Since mid-November, more than 400 people, mostly schoolchildren, have been taken by armed groups in states including Niger, Kebbi, Kwara, and Borno.
The rescue in Kiri offers a rare moment of relief in a region battered by relentless abductions. Yet for many families and communities, the shadows cast by ongoing violence still stretch far across daily life, a reminder of the urgent need for stronger, sustained security measures.