By Our Correspondent
On Monday before dawn, gunmen attacked the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State, abducting 25 students and killing the vice principal, Lt Gen Waidi Shaibu, Chief of Army Staff, said Tuesday during a visit to the security forces on the ground.
The attackers, described by police as armed bandits with sophisticated weapons, reportedly exchanged fire with tactical police units before breaching the school perimeter fence and carrying off the girls from their dormitories.
During the raid, vice principal Hassan Yakubu Makuku was killed, and a security guard named Ali Shehu was wounded.
In response, security agencies launched a joint search and rescue mission. The Kebbi State Police Command said it deployed additional tactical units, military personnel, and local vigilantes to comb forested routes and possible escape paths.
Shaibu, speaking with soldiers in Kebbi, vowed determined action, calling the mission non-negotiable and demanding intelligence driven operations around the clock. He emphasized, “We must find these girls. Act decisively and professionally. Success is not optional.”
The federal government, led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, strongly condemned the attack. Information Minister Mohammed Idris said security and intelligence agencies have been given clear directives to rescue the girls and bring the perpetrators to justice.
Meanwhile, the Minister of State for Defence, Dr Bello Mohammed Matawalle, described the assault as tragic and unacceptable, urging calm in the community while security efforts intensify.
As the search continues, residents remain anxious and families are demanding the swift and safe return of the missing students.
