24 abducted Kebbi schoolgirls regain freedom

The twenty-four schoolgirls abducted from Government Girls Secondary School, Maga, in Danko-Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State, have been rescued.

The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, confirmed this in a statement issued on Tuesday.

He said the President commended the security agencies for their efforts in securing the freedom of the victims and called on them to intensify operations to rescue students who are still in captivity.

“I am relieved that all the 24 girls have been accounted for. Now, we must urgently deploy more boots on the ground in vulnerable areas to prevent further kidnappings. My government will provide all necessary support to achieve this,” the statement quoted the President as saying.

ValidViewNetwork had reported that bandits stormed the school hostel last Monday, abducting 24 female students.

Following the attack, Tinubu ordered the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, to relocate to Kebbi to coordinate rescue efforts, commended security agencies for the series of releases but warned that the job was not yet done.

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In the days that followed, gunmen struck a Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku, Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, abducting 38 worshippers during a vigil, while another gang raided St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Agwara LGA of Niger State, seizing over 300 pupils and teachers, according to the police and the Catholic Diocese of Kontagora.

The attacks sparked national outrage and renewed calls for stronger protection of schools in rural areas, especiallyu in the North-West, where banditry remains widespread.