Cynthia Ezegwu
The Chief of Army Staff, Maj. Gen. Waidi Shaibu, has directed troops under Operation FANSAN YANMA to strengthen and sustain search-and-rescue operations aimed at locating and freeing the 25 students abducted from Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School, Maga, in the Danko-Wasagu area of Kebbi State.
Gunmen had, on Monday, attacked the school, killing the vice principal, Hassan Yakubu Makuku, injuring staff, and whisking away the students.
According to counter-insurgency expert Zagazola Makama, the army chief arrived in Kebbi on Monday alongside principal staff officers from the Army Headquarters. Shaibu held an operational meeting with frontline commanders, during which he charged them to maintain nonstop operations until all the missing schoolgirls are found.
“You must continue day and night fighting. We must find these children,” he told the troops, stressing the need for intelligence-led missions and swift, decisive responses to credible information. He warned that bandits often target soft spots and urged commanders to demonstrate full commitment to the operation.
Shaibu also met with vigilantes and local hunters working with security agencies, emphasising their critical role due to their knowledge of the difficult terrain. He urged them to strengthen collaboration with the military and intensify intelligence sharing.
“If we have people like you, it is you who will work with us and provide local intelligence. You know these forests, and you are the ones to tell us where the criminals are,” he said, assuring them of continued military support.
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The army chief noted that the attackers aimed to instill fear and disrupt education but vowed that security forces would not allow such objectives to succeed.
Earlier, Shaibu paid a condolence visit to the traditional ruler of Danko, Abubakar Allaje, and the principal of the attacked school, Rabi Magaji.
He reaffirmed the military’s resolve to rescue the abducted students unharmed, saying, “We are fully committed. We will not relent. The safety of these children is a national priority, and we are deploying every resource to ensure they return home safely.”