President pledges decisive action after shocking attack
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has promised distressed parents in Kebbi State that the Federal Government will do everything within its power to ensure the safe rescue of the 25 schoolgirls abducted by gunmen in Maiyama Local Government Area.
The girls, all students of the Government Secondary School, were taken during a night raid that has once again drawn national attention to the security challenges confronting remote communities in the North-West.
Tinubu, who spoke through a delegation dispatched to Kebbi on Monday, described the incident as “one attack too many” and assured families that the government will not rest until every child is reunited with her loved ones.
Families recount traumatic night as search intensifies
Parents and guardians who gathered at the school premises narrated the terrifying experience that unfolded when armed bandits stormed the area and whisked the girls away.
According to eyewitnesses, the attackers arrived in the dead of night, shooting sporadically and overpowering local vigilantes. Many of the children were said to have been dragged into the bush before security operatives could respond.
A mother of one of the missing students said the nightmare still feels unreal.
“We were calling our daughters’ names one by one. Those who didn’t answer—our hearts broke,” she recounted.
Security agencies have since intensified operations across the forests bordering Kebbi, Niger, and Zamfara States, with specialised tactical teams deployed to track the kidnappers’ movement.
FG says no ransom will be paid as coordinated rescue continues
A top presidency official who addressed reporters insisted that the Federal Government is working with the military and state authorities to ensure a safe, coordinated rescue mission, stressing that ransom negotiations are off the table.
Tinubu’s message reaffirmed this stance, noting that rewarding criminality only worsens mass abduction incidents that have plagued schools and communities, especially in the North-West.
The President urged citizens to remain patient but vigilant, assuring families that every operational resource is being mobilised towards securing the girls’ release.
Kebbi government collaborates with security agencies
The Kebbi State Government has also pledged full cooperation with federal forces. Governor Nasir Idris condemned the attack, describing it as a deliberate assault on the state’s future and an attempt to intimidate vulnerable communities.
He assured the parents that the girls’ safety is the administration’s top priority and promised continuous updates as the operation progresses.
Meanwhile, local vigilante groups have reinforced their patrols around schools, communities, and farmlands, working alongside security operatives to prevent further attacks.
Parents urge government to act swiftly
Despite the assurances, anxiety remains high among families. Many of the parents—some visibly exhausted—appealed to government authorities to speed up the rescue process.
A father of one of the abducted students said:
“We don’t want promises; we want to see our daughters back home. We are begging the President and the Governor to help us.”
Activists and civil society groups have also demanded urgent reforms in school security architecture, warning that classrooms in rural areas remain dangerously exposed.
President vows lasting solution to school abductions
Tinubu reiterated that the government is working on long-term interventions, including improved intelligence gathering, community security partnerships, and enhanced military presence around vulnerable zones.
He noted that the abduction of schoolchildren is not just a security challenge but a humanitarian tragedy that undermines the nation’s future.
As the rescue mission continues, parents and communities in Kebbi State are holding onto hope that the girls will return unharmed.
