Twenty-four schoolgirls kidnapped from Government Girls Secondary School, Maga, in Danko-Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State, have regained their freedom, bringing a moment of relief to families, the state, and a country once again rattled by a series of mass abductions.
The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, confirmed the development in a statement on Tuesday, noting that the rescue followed days of intense search-and-rescue operations conducted by security forces across difficult terrain in the North-West.
According to him, President Bola Tinubu commended the security agencies for what he described as a “timely and coordinated” effort and charged them to sustain the tempo until all abducted persons across the country are safely returned.
“I am relieved that all the 24 girls have been accounted for. Now, we must urgently deploy more boots on the ground in vulnerable areas to prevent further kidnappings. My government will provide all necessary support to achieve this,” the President was quoted as saying.
The students were abducted last Monday after suspected bandits stormed the school hostel at night, overwhelming local security personnel and fleeing with 24 female students. The incident triggered national alarm and drew renewed scrutiny to the deteriorating security situation in the North-West.
In response, Tinubu directed the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, to immediately relocate to Kebbi State and coordinate rescue operations. Federal sources confirmed that multiple intelligence units, ground forces, and aerial surveillance assets were deployed over the past week.
While the successful rescue provides a moment of reprieve, the Presidency warned that the broader security challenge remains acute.
The Kebbi abduction was the first in a chain of violent attacks that unfolded in the following days across the northern region:
In Kwara State, armed men invaded Christ Apostolic Church, Eruku, during a vigil, abducting 38 worshippers in what authorities described as a “large-scale, coordinated assault.”
In Niger State, gunmen raided St. Mary’s Catholic School, Papiri, in Agwara LGA, seizing more than 300 pupils and teachers, a figure confirmed by both the police and the Catholic Diocese of Kontagora.
The successive attacks have reignited public debate about banditry, school safety, and the capacity of state and federal authorities to respond swiftly to mass abductions, especially in remote communities.
Civil society groups, security analysts, and education advocates have renewed calls for the full implementation of the Safe Schools Initiative, including fortifying vulnerable schools, deploying trained security personnel, expanding early-warning systems, and improving intelligence coordination.
Across social platforms and community forums, Nigerians expressed outrage and exhaustion at what many described as the “recycling of tragedies,” referencing the long-running series of school kidnappings that have plagued the North since 2014.
Parents of the freed Kebbi students, some of whom kept vigil at the school and local government offices for days, have expressed gratitude but also demanded more robust security assurances.
Human rights groups have warned that the proliferation of armed gangs—and their increasing sophistication—intensifies the risk of further attacks unless government strategies evolve from reactive rescue missions to proactive deterrence measures.
With the rescued girls now in government custody for medical evaluation and debriefing, President Tinubu’s directive for heightened military deployment is expected to shape federal security posture in the coming weeks.
However, analysts caution that the breadth of the recent attacks—spanning three states in quick succession—highlights a deeper systemic challenge.
As Nigeria confronts this latest surge in mass abductions, both government and security agencies remain under pressure to demonstrate that the release of the Kebbi students marks not just an operational success, but the beginning of a sustained and strategic effort to restore safety—particularly in the country’s most vulnerable rural schools.
