‘We Must Find These Children’ – Army Orders Unrelenting Ground Operation

…Says Bandits Target Soft Targets

The Nigerian Army has launched an extensive rescue operation in Kebbi State after gunmen abducted 25 students from Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School (GGCSS) Maga in Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area.

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu, directed the deployment under Operation FANSAN YANMA while reinforcing the military’s resolve to recover the schoolgirls.

During his visit to the state, Shaibu instructed troops to sustain intense day-and-night operations until every abducted student was safely rescued.

He met frontline commanders for an operational briefing before addressing soldiers already engaged in the search mission.

Shaibu emphasised the need for unwavering resolve. “You must continue day and night fighting. We must find these children.

“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. You can defeat them, can’t you?

“You must have all the commitment to make sure you succeed. Once you receive intelligence of something of this nature, you must act professionally and decisively.

“This is not just about our image; it is about doing our job properly.”

Beyond the troops, the army chief also held a separate engagement with vigilante groups and hunters who are supporting security operations across the affected communities.

The meeting sought to align intelligence gathering, local knowledge, and coordinated response strategies.

According to Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication, Shaibu arrived in Kebbi with a delegation of principal staff officers from Army Headquarters, signalling the seriousness attached to the rescue mission.

THE WHISTLER earlier reported that the abduction occurred around 4:00 am when armed attackers invaded GGCSS Maga, firing gunshots as they forced their way into the school compound.

During the attack, staff member Hassan Makuku was shot and killed, while another staff member, Ali Shehu, sustained a gunshot injury to his right hand.

The abduction has gained global condemnation with the United States Congressman, Riley Moore, describing the attack as tragic and urging the public to pray for the victims.

“Please join me in praying for the 25 girls who have been kidnapped and for the repose of the soul of their vice principal, who was killed,” he wrote.

Moore further urged the Nigerian government to act decisively, saying, “The Nigerian government must do more to end the rampant violence.”