The nation has been galvanized by a swift and decisive response from the military high command following the tragic mass abduction of schoolgirls in Kebbi State. The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, today paid an urgent operational visit to the affected area, issuing a firm mandate to his field commanders.
The COAS ordered troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA to embark on a relentless, “day and night” manhunt to secure the safe return of the 25 female students abducted from the Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School (GGCSS), Maga, Danko/Wasagu LGA.
The attack, which occurred in the early hours of Monday, resulted in the tragic death of the school’s Vice Principal, Malam Hassan Yakubu Makuku, who was reportedly shot while defending the students.
Addressing frontline commanders and troops, Lieutenant General Shaibu warned that bandits have developed a pattern of attacking “soft targets” and stressed that this must be countered with superior strategy and intelligence.
COAS Waidi Shaibu’s Order: “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… This is not just about our image; it is about doing our job properly.”
The Army Chief also held a crucial meeting with local vigilantes and hunters, who possess deep knowledge of the surrounding forests and are considered indispensable partners in the search-and-rescue operation. He assured the community and school authorities of the military’s unwavering commitment to preventing the bandits from achieving their goal of instilling fear and disrupting education.
The military’s swift mobilization signals the gravity with which the Federal Government is treating the latest incident of mass school abduction, which has drawn widespread condemnation across the country.
