President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has welcomed the safe rescue of all 24 schoolgirls abducted last week from Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State, and pledged further action to clamp down on kidnappings across the country.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the presidency confirmed the girls — who were seized during a dawn attack on November 17 — have been accounted for and are now out of captivity. One of the 25 initially abducted had managed to escape the same day, while the remaining 24 were freed following what sources described as a coordinated rescue operation involving the military, intelligence services and local security forces.
President Tinubu commended the security agencies, parents and community members for their support during the crisis. “I am relieved that all 24 girls have been accounted for,” he said, calling on security operatives to deploy more boots on the ground in vulnerable areas to prevent further kidnappings. He added that the government would provide all necessary support to affected communities.
As part of a broader plan to tackle the wave of abductions and violence, the president has ordered a comprehensive security cordon over forested regions of Kwara, Kebbi, and Niger States. The directive tasks the Nigerian Air Force with continuous aerial surveillance over remote areas, while coordinating tightly with ground troops to identify, isolate, disrupt and neutralise hostile elements.
Communities in these regions have been urged to report any suspicious movement to support ongoing operations. Government officials believe that local intelligence and cooperation from residents will be crucial if security forces are to dismantle the networks believed responsible for the series of kidnappings.
The successful rescue of the Kebbi schoolgirls offers a moment of relief to a nation long plagued by mass abductions — but the government’s new directives suggest the crisis is far from over. With multiple kidnapping incidents in recent days, including the abduction of worshippers from a church in Kwara, the pressure now lies on security forces to deliver swift and sustained results.
For now, families and communities are celebrating the return of the girls, yet many remain anxious about the fate of other victims still in captivity. As President Tinubu’s administration steps up its security posture, Nigerians will be watching closely to see whether these measures translate into lasting safety across the affected states.
