Nine days after terrorists kidnapped 24 schoolgirls from Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School, Maga, in Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State, the Federal Government on Tuesday announced their rescue, insisting that no ransom was paid.
President Bola Tinubu, who welcomed the development, hailed the security agencies for what he described as a determined operation to secure the girls’ release.
The schoolgirls were abducted at dawn on November 17, shortly after a military detachment reportedly left the school premises — a withdrawal that triggered public anger and intense scrutiny.
Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, who received the students in Birnin Kebbi, dismissed claims that money exchanged hands during the rescue mission.
“No kobo was paid. The military, DSS and other security forces combed the forest and rescued them unhurt,” Idris said, adding that the girls had already undergone medical checks and were in stable condition.
The governor praised the “swift and coordinated” response of the armed forces, the Department of State Services, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the police, noting that their actions were carried out under strict directives from President Tinubu.
He thanked religious leaders for their prayers and acknowledged solidarity visits from the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas; APC governors; the Inspector-General of Police; and other prominent Nigerians.
Idris also commended the parents for their patience, assuring them that the government had intensified measures to bolster security in schools across the state.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, said the Kebbi attack triggered subsequent abductions in Eruku, Kwara State, and Papiri, Niger State.
While all 38 kidnapped worshippers from the Eruku church were rescued, more than 250 schoolchildren and teachers abducted in Niger State remain in captivity.
Earlier on Tuesday, Tinubu ordered a full security sweep of forests in Niger and Kwara States to accelerate the search for the missing children.
Onanuga also confirmed that the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Niger State reported that 50 of the abducted Catholic school students had been found and reunited with their families.
Following the Kebbi abduction, the President canceled scheduled trips to the G20 Summit in South Africa and the AU-EU Africa Summit in Angola. Vice President Kashim Shettima attended both events in his stead.
Last Friday, the President directed the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, to relocate to Kebbi to coordinate the rescue operation.
Reacting to the girls’ return, Tinubu expressed relief but warned that Nigeria must escalate its fight against banditry.
“I am relieved that all the 24 girls have been accounted for. Now, we must put more boots on the ground in vulnerable areas to avert further incidents of kidnapping. My government will offer all the assistance needed,” he said.
The abduction renewed nationwide concern over the safety of students in remote communities, prompting fresh calls for a comprehensive overhaul of school security architecture.
Governor Idris said the state government had already begun reinforcing security in all schools to prevent a recurrence.
The rescue of the Kebbi schoolgirls comes amid mounting pressure on the Federal Government to ensure the safe return of hundreds of children still in bandits’ captivity across the North.
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