Lieutenant-General Waidi Shaibu, Chief of Army Staff (COAS), made a forceful and high-stakes visit to Kebbi State on Monday, personally directing troops involved in Operation FANSAN YANMA to intensify efforts to rescue 25 schoolgirls abducted from Government Girls’ Comprehensive Secondary School (GGCSS), Maga.
Arriving with a senior delegation from Army Headquarters, General Shaibu held an operational briefing with frontline commanders before addressing the troops stationed in the area. In his remarks, he ordered the troops to conduct continuous operations, both day and night, until all the abducted students are safely recovered.
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“You must continue day and night fighting. We must find these children,” he told the soldiers, urging them to act with “ruthless determination.” He emphasized that the rescue effort must be intelligence-driven, warning that bandits often target “soft targets” such as schools.
General Shaibu also called on his commanders to act professionally and decisively whenever they receive credible intelligence. He underscored that this mission was not simply about optics, “it is about doing our job properly.”
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In a show of unity with local forces, the COAS met with vigilantes and forest hunters who are assisting in the rescue operation. He described them as “indispensable partners” because of their intimate knowledge of the terrain. He urged these local actors to comb every corner of the forests, pledging that soldiers would join them in the search.
Shaibu praised the courage of these community defenders and pledged full military support, stressing that their role is critical. “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 declared.
Earlier in the day, the COAS paid a sympathy visit to Alhaji Abubakar Ibrahim Allaje, the traditional ruler of Danko, and Hajiya Rabi Musa Magaji, the principal of GGCSS Maga. He reassured them of the Army’s unwavering commitment, saying every resource would be deployed to bring the students back safely.
During the visit, the school’s principal expressed gratitude for the swift action, saying the COAS’s presence “demonstrated the urgency with which the military is treating the incident.”
The abduction of the 25 schoolgirls has sparked national outrage and concern. According to the Kebbi State Police Command, the attackers were armed with sophisticated weapons, opened fire on the school’s guards, and killed at least one staff member before whisking the girls away.
Security forces, including police tactical units, military personnel, and local vigilantes, have launched a coordinated search across suspected escape routes and forested areas as part of the ongoing rescue mission.
