Tinubu orders manhunt for abductors, rescue of 25 pupils

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday ordered security and intelligence agencies to immediately rescue the 25 female students abducted during an attack on Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School (GGCSSS), Maga, in Kebbi State.

Gunmen invaded the school in the early hours of Sunday, killing Vice Principal Malam Hassan Makuku.

They whisked away the schoolgirls.

Makuku was shot while attempting to shield the pupils.

The attack, which occurred in Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area, threw the community into deep mourning.

Residents have continued to offer prayers for Makuku, praising his courage and sacrifice.
Kebbi Police spokesman, CSP Nafiu Abubakar, said security operatives had launched a manhunt for the attackers.

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, announced the President’s directive for a high-level rescue operation.

“President Tinubu has reiterated that protecting every Nigerian, especially schoolchildren, remains a solemn responsibility of the State,” he said in a statement.
“Security and intelligence agencies have been issued clear directives to locate, rescue, and safely return the pupils, and to ensure that the perpetrators face justice.”

The minister assured that the Federal Government would not relent until the girls are safely reunited with their families.

He also said the country is strengthening cooperation with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union (AU) and the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) to secure its borders and dismantle terrorist networks.

He added that the government was “recalibrating the nation’s military, policing and intelligence capabilities to prevent attacks and respond more rapidly to threats.”

Minister of State for Defence Bello Matawalle condemned the attack.

He described it as unacceptable and called on all security agencies to act urgently and in concert to locate and secure the safe release of the abducted pupils.

He said: “President Tinubu has directed that the state’s security apparatus swing into immediate action to ensure the abducted students are released unharmed.

“Residents should remain calm and go about their business while government and security agencies address the situation.”

Mattawalle condoled with the family of the late vice principal and with all families affected by the attack.

“I pray to Allah to grant him mercy, a peaceful resting place, and to console his family and loved ones over this painful and unjust loss,” the minister added.

Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, assured parents of the schoolgirls that efforts were underway to rescue their children.

The governor spoke after visiting Maga, where he met with security agencies, traditional rulers, and parents.

“The unfortunate thing has already happened. They have abducted our children. We came here, we saw things for ourselves, and we met the parents whose children were taken.

“We gave them confidence, and we gave them our word that we will do everything possible to ensure that their children are rescued.

“We also assured them to remain confident, and that security agencies will do everything necessary.

“That is the essence of our coming to Maga, to see the people and give them confidence and words of encouragement.”

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar condemned the killings and abductions.

He said he was “devastated” by the attack.

Atiku urged the Federal Government to overhaul its security architecture and deploy more personnel to vulnerable communities.

Former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, prayed for the safe return of the pupils.

He stated on X: “My heart is heavy in faraway Monaco as I receive the heartbreaking news from Kebbi State about the attack on Maga Comprehensive Girls’ Secondary School, which led to the abduction of several young female students and the killing of a staff member.

“My deepest sympathies go to the government and people of Kebbi State, the parents and families of the abducted girls, and all those affected by this tragedy.”

The mass abduction of school children first occurred in Chibok, Borno State, in 2014, when more than a hundred schoolgirls were kidnapped by Boko Haram.

There were other abductions of schoolchildren in attacks on schools in Yobe, Kaduna and Katsina states.

Source: The Nation