Tag: Maga

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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.

PUNCH Online 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.

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, especially in the North-West, where banditry remains widespread. (Punch)

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Shettima arrives in Kebbi over schoolgirls abduction

The Vice President, Kashim Shettima, has arrived in Kebbi State to meet with the state government and families of schoolgirls abducted from Government Girls Secondary School, Maga, by gunmen.

The aircraft conveying the Shettima landed at the Sir Ahmadu Bello International Airport in Birnin Kebbi.

He was accompanied by the Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Zubaida Umar, and other government officials.

The VP had departed Abuja for Kebbi on the directive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

He is expected to convey Tinubu’s message to the people of the state, as well as receive a briefing on the situation for onward communication to the President.

The attack on the Kebbi school claimed the life of the school’s Vice Principal, Malam Hassan Makuku, who was reportedly killed while trying to prevent the bandits from taking the girls away.

The police said on Monday that a combined tactical team were deployed to comb the forest in a bid to rescue the girls.

President Bola Tinubu condemned the attack and commiserated with the families of those affected.

He also postponed his scheduled trips to Johannesburg in South Africa and Luanda, Angola, to attend the 20th G20 Summit of leaders and the 7th AU-EU Summit, respectively. (Channels)

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Police confirm abduction in Kebbi girls’ school, begin rescue operation

Tension has engulfed the Maga community in Kebbi State after terrorists launched a deadly pre-dawn attack on the Government Girls’ Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, in Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area, reportedly abducting 25 students and killing a staff member.

In a statement issued on Monday by the Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Nafiu Abubakar Kotarkoshi, the armed attackers, wielding sophisticated weapons, invaded the school at about 4:00 am and opened fire as they forced their way in.

“The police tactical units deployed in the school engaged them in a gun duel,” the PPRO said. “Unfortunately, the suspected bandits had already scaled through the fence of the school and abducted twenty-five students from their hostel to an unknown destination.”

He confirmed that one staff member, Hassan Makuku, was shot dead, while another, Ali Shehu, sustained a gunshot injury to his right hand.

Following the attack, Abubakar said the command swiftly deployed additional police tactical squads alongside military personnel and local vigilantes to track the movement of the terrorists and rescue the abducted girls.

“They are currently combing the bandits’ routes and nearby forests with a view to rescuing the abducted students and possibly arresting the perpetrators of the dastardly act,” he said.

He added that the Commissioner of Police, CP Bello M. Sani, had reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting lives and property across the state.

“The Commissioner reiterates the Command’s unwavering determination to safeguard the people of Kebbi State,” Abubakar stated. “He appeals to the public to remain calm, vigilant, and continue supporting police operations to maintain peace and stability.”

Also confirming the incident, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ahmed Idris, said the state government was closely monitoring developments.

“The exact number of abducted students is still being verified,” Idris told our correspondent.

“The deputy governor, Senator Umar Tafida, has been dispatched to the school to assess the situation on behalf of Governor Nasir Idris, who is currently out of the state.”

He assured residents that the government was working hand-in-hand with security agencies to secure the safe return of the students and restore normalcy to the community.

Parents and residents of Maga remain in anguish as they await further updates on the fate of the abducted girls.

In June 2021, bandits abducted some students of Federal Government Girls College, Birnin Yauri, Kebbi State.

Seven months later in January 2022, the gunmen freed 30 students and a teacher after months of captivity, according to a local official. (Punch)