President Bola Tinubu has directed Vice President Kashim Shettima to visit Kebbi State today to commiserate with the government and families of the 25 schoolgirls abducted from Government Girls’ Comprehensive Senior Secondary School, Maga.
The President assured parents that security agencies had been ordered to secure the girls’ prompt release.
Tinubu also mourned the death of soldiers and Brigadier General Musa Uba, who were killed in Borno State during operations against insurgents.
Mother of Slain Vice Principal Recounts Attack
Amina Hassan, widow of the school’s slain vice principal, narrated how bandits stormed their home at about 3:30 a.m., shot her husband and abducted her daughter, who later escaped in the confusion as the attackers diverted their attention to other students.
Army Intensifies Search
Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Waidi Shaibu, who visited Kebbi yesterday, ordered troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA to intensify round-the-clock search-and-rescue operations.
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He urged frontline commanders to act decisively on intelligence, stressing that bandits were deliberately targeting soft locations. Shaibu also held meetings with local vigilantes and hunters, describing them as vital partners with deep knowledge of the terrain.
Senate Seeks Recruitment of 100,000 Military Personnel
The Senate called on President Tinubu to approve the recruitment of at least 100,000 additional personnel into the armed forces to meet rising security demands.
Lawmakers also resolved to investigate the implementation of the Safe School Programme following the attack.
Senators who contributed to the motion condemned the abduction, calling it a national emergency that demanded coordinated action from security agencies, communities and traditional institutions.
International Reactions
U.S. lawmaker Riley Moore condemned the abduction in a post on X and urged prayers for the victims. He said the government must do more to curb violence, noting that the attack occurred in a Christian enclave.
UNICEF also issued a statement condemning the assault, insisting that schools and students must be protected under international law. The agency urged full implementation of the Safe Schools Declaration, which Nigeria endorsed in 2015.
First Lady, Students’ Body Call for Action
First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu said she was deeply saddened by the abduction and the killing of the vice principal, describing the incident as an attack on the values of safety and learning.
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) also expressed grief, noting that the incident occurred on International Students’ Day. The body called for urgent intervention and warned that repeated attacks on schools were weakening national morale and endangering the future of education.
NANS recounted past mass abductions in Chibok, Kuriga, Kagara, Dapchi and other states, urging security agencies to prevent a repeat of such tragedies.
Rafiyat Sadiq is a political, justice, and human rights reporter with Pinnacle Daily, known for fearless reporting and impactful storytelling. At Pinnacle Daily, she brings clarity and depth to issues shaping governance, democracy, and the protection of citizens’ rights.
