Army Chief Orders Troops to Rescue Kebbi Schoolgirls
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu, has directed troops to “intensify day and night operations” to ensure the safe rescue of students abducted from the Government Girls’ Comprehensive Senior Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State.
Gunmen attacked the school on Monday, killing the vice-principal, Hassan Yakubu Makuku, and abducting 25 female students.
Speaking during an operational visit to Kebbi State, Shaibu ordered troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA to “leave no stone unturned” in the search-and-rescue mission
According to Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication, the Army Chief arrived in the state with a delegation of principal staff officers and held an operational meeting with frontline commanders.
Addressing the troops, Shaibu emphasized the need for ruthless determination.
“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’t you?” he said.
He urged the soldiers to act professionally and decisively once intelligence is received.
“You must have all the commitment to make sure you succeed… This is not just about our image; it is about doing our job properly,” he added.
The COAS also met with local vigilantes and hunters, describing them as “indispensable partners” due to their knowledge of the terrain.
“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 told them.
Shaibu also paid a sympathy visit to the traditional ruler of Danko and the principal of the affected school, reassuring them of the military’s “unwavering resolve” to rescue the girls unharmed.
“We are fully committed. We will not relent. The safety of these children is a national priority,” he said
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