Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Kebbi State, touching down at Sir Ahmadu Bello International Airport in Birnin Kebbi to console the state government and families after the abduction of 25 girls from Government Girls Secondary School, Maga.
He was accompanied by top officials, including the Director General of NEMA, Zubaida Umar. Shettima’s mission, sent on the directive of President Bola Tinubu, is to deliver Tinubu’s message of solidarity, receive a security briefing, and relay important updates back to the President.
The attack on the school happened in the early hours of Monday, when armed assailants stormed the premises. During the raid, the school’s vice principal, Hassan Makuku, was reportedly killed while trying to protect the students. The attackers exchanged gunfire with a police tactical unit before abducting the girls and fleeing toward Zamfara State.
In response, security forces, including police tactical units, the military, and local vigilante groups, have been deployed to comb nearby forests and known escape routes in a bid to rescue the girls.
President Tinubu has expressed his grief over the “security breach” that allowed the abduction, while stressing the need for community cooperation with security agencies. Meanwhile, political and student bodies have condemned the attack. The Peoples Democratic Party called for decisive government action, while the National Association of Nigerian Students demanded stronger security for schools and intelligence-led operations to prevent future incidents.
Shettima’s visit underscores the seriousness with which the federal government views the abduction. As the rescue operation intensifies, all eyes are now on security agencies to deliver results and bring the girls home safely.