Nigeria’s Chief Of Army Staff, Major General Waidi Shaibu, has directed soldiers serving under Operation FANSAN YANMA to escalate a continuous search-and-rescue mission after armed groups abducted students from a public girls’ secondary school in Kebbi State, located in the northwestern region of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Okay News reports that security sources and humanitarian monitors confirmed that the attack took place at the Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School in the community known as Maga, where armed men opened fire, killing the vice principal, Hassan Yakubu Makuku, before taking twenty-five schoolgirls away into surrounding forest territories that have witnessed repeated criminal activities over the years.
According to a counter-insurgency analyst, Zagazola Makama, Major General Shaibu arrived in Kebbi State on Monday with principal officers from the central Army Headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city, to receive firsthand updates from field commanders and to coordinate a renewed strategy aimed at locating the children as quickly as possible. His visit underscored the growing national concern over attacks on classrooms in the north of the country, where several armed groups deliberately target educational institutions.
During an operational meeting held with senior commanders, Major General Shaibu reminded the soldiers that unwavering determination was essential to the success of the mission. Addressing troops preparing to move into several forest routes, he said, “You must continue day and night fighting. We must find these children.
“For the commanders here, you must leverage intelligence to conduct intelligence-based missions. It has become a pattern that bandits target soft targets. If they know you are in a location, they will not come there or face you in a fight, and you can defeat them, can you not?
“You must have all the commitment to make sure you succeed. Once you receive intelligence of something of this nature, you must act professionally and decisively. This is not just about our image; it is about doing our job properly.”
Major General Shaibu also held a separate meeting with local vigilante groups and community hunters who have been supporting government forces in the region. He acknowledged their deep local knowledge of forests, waterways, and footpaths often used by criminal groups to escape security operations. “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.
He urged them to intensify community-based patrols alongside the military. “Your hunters should storm the nooks and crannies of these forests. Soldiers will also join you. We are counting on you to work with us to bring lasting peace. What these evil people are trying to do is to scare children from going to school. Let every man know we will not allow that,” he added.
Earlier in the day, the Chief Of Army Staff paid a condolence visit to Abubakar Allaje, the traditional leader of Danko, and also met with Rabi Magaji, the principal of the attacked school, to reassure them that the military was fully committed to rescuing the abducted students unharmed.
Major General Shaibu reiterated the resolve of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, 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.”
