The African Women Lawyers Association (AWLA) International Conference on the 20th of November has issued a strong call for the immediate and unconditional release of 25 schoolgirls abducted from Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State, Nigeria.
The kidnapping, which took place in the early hours of Monday, November 17, saw armed men storm the boarding school, killing a staff member before seizing the students. The incident has sparked outrage across the region and drawn urgent appeals from civil society groups.
In a statement released, delegates at the AWLA Conference, held at the Azalai Hotel de la Plage in Cotonou (November 18–22), condemned the attack and warned that the abduction “must not become a bargaining chip in any political rivalry.”
The association urged both the Nigerian government and the international community to act swiftly to secure the girls’ safe return.
“We stand together with the families of these innocent children and call on all stakeholders to intervene without delay. The freedom of our girls is non‑negotiable,” the statement read.
The conference, themed “From Margins to Mainstream: The African Woman in Unfettered Sustainable Development”, reaffirmed its commitment to defending the rights and dignity of women and girls across Africa.
Participants were encouraged to join global voices demanding the girls’ release and to support initiatives aimed at strengthening security and justice in Nigeria’s northwest region.
