Mohammed Idris, minister of information and national information, says President Bola Tinubu has ordered the swift rescue of the female students abducted from Government Girls Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi.
Gunmen attacked the school on Monday morning and kidnapped 25 female students during the raid.
Nafi’u Kotarkoshi, police spokesperson in Kebbi, said Hassan Makuku, the school’s vice principal, lost his life during the attack, while Ali Shehu, a security guard, sustained gunshot injuries to his right hand.
Reacting to the development in a statement, Idris said Tinubu has condemned the attack and reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to protecting all Nigerians, especially schoolchildren.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has reiterated that protecting every Nigerian, especially schoolchildren, remains a solemn responsibility of the State. The government condemns the reprehensible attack on innocent students and the killing of school officials who were carrying out their noble duty,” he said.
“Our security and intelligence agencies have been issued clear directives to locate, rescue, and safely return the students, and to ensure that the perpetrators face justice. The Federal Government will not relent until this objective is achieved.
“We assure Nigerians that strengthening internal security remains a top priority. The Federal Government is recalibrating the nation’s military, policing, and intelligence capabilities to more effectively prevent these attacks and respond with greater speed and precision whenever threats arise.
“Nigeria is also reinforcing cooperation with regional partners through ECOWAS, the African Union, and the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) to secure our borders and disrupt terrorist and criminal networks. We urge the public to remain calm and confident as security forces work around the clock to resolve this matter.”
Meanwhile, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has condemned the attack on Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School, Maga, in Kebbi State, describing it as another tragic reminder of the country’s worsening insecurity.
Atiku, in a statement posted on his X handle on Monday, said he was devastated by the incident, which claimed the life of the school’s Vice-Principal and led to the abduction of several female students.
He wrote, “I am devastated by the news of the tragic attack on Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School, Maga, in Kebbi State, which claimed the life of the Vice-Principal and led to the abduction of innocent students. This is yet another reminder of the worsening insecurity in our nation.”
He also condemned the killing of an All Progressive Congress, chieftain, Umar Moriki, and the mass abductions in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State, where entire families, including women and children, were kidnapped.
“These acts of barbarity have no place in a civilised society,” he said.
Atiku further lamented the continuing violence in Plateau, Benue, and other states, saying many communities were being torn apart.
He noted that residents of Shanono LGA in Kano State were fleeing their homes out of fear, reflecting a national security crisis that had reached an intolerable level.
“Nigeria cannot continue on this path. I call on the Federal Government to urgently review and strengthen its security architecture, deploy adequate personnel across vulnerable communities, and intensify intelligence-led operations. Our citizens deserve protection, dignity, and peace—nothing less,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Police Force and the military have launched an intensive search-and-rescue operation to recover the abducted students.
In a post on the Nigeria Police Force WhatsApp channel on Monday, the police confirmed the incident, explaining that tactical units deployed to the school engaged the assailants in a gun duel, but the bandits had already whisked the students away to an unknown location.
According to the statement, operatives from the command’s tactical unit, in collaboration with the military and other security agencies, have been deployed to comb bandit routes and nearby forests with the aim of rescuing the students and apprehending the perpetrators.
“In light of this regrettable incident, the Commissioner of Police, Kebbi State Command, CP Bello M. Sani, reiterated the command’s unwavering determination to safeguard the lives and property of residents. He appealed to the public to remain calm, vigilant and continue supporting police operations to maintain peace and stability,” the statement added.
