Nigeria's Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has arrived in Kebbi State to personally oversee security operations aimed at rescuing students abducted from Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School in Maga.
Security Chiefs Coordinate Response
The police chief's visit on Monday comes amid growing public concern over coordinated attacks across multiple states and increasing pressure on authorities to accelerate rescue efforts. Armed bandits abducted 25 students from the school in the early hours of November 17, killing the Vice Principal, Malam Hassan Makuku, during the attack that left Danko Wasagu communities deeply traumatized.
During his Kebbi visit, Egbetokun is scheduled to meet Governor Nasir Idris before addressing police officers on the deteriorating security situation. This development follows the IGP's earlier briefing of President Bola Tinubu at the State House regarding the wave of kidnappings affecting Kebbi, Niger, and Kwara states.
Fresh Attacks in Niger State
While security agencies continued searching for the Maga schoolgirls, gunmen launched another major attack on St Mary's Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Niger State. Witnesses reported that attackers arrived in large numbers on motorcycles, shot the school's gatekeeper, and abducted numerous pupils.
The Christian Association of Nigeria confirmed that 315 students were taken, though 50 managed to escape between Friday and Saturday. According to Niger State CAN Chairman, Most Rev Bulus Yohanna, "The pupils escaped between Friday and Saturday and have reunited with their parents as they could not return to the school after they escaped."
CAN's statement revealed that 377 pupils in the school's primary section were boarders, while 53 were day students. The Niger State Police Command has deployed tactical units and soldiers across extensive forest corridors as they comb remote paths to locate the abducted children.
National Security Implications
The consecutive assaults on educational institutions have triggered nationwide security concerns and prompted tighter protective measures around vulnerable facilities. The situation has become so critical that President Tinubu cancelled his trip to the G20 summit in South Africa, with Vice President Kashim Shettima attending instead.
Security analysts note that these incidents have refocused attention on Nigeria's capacity to prevent mass abductions and protect soft targets. The meeting between service chiefs and President Tinubu included the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyode, and DSS Director General Tosin Ajayi, indicating the high-level coordination being applied to the crisis.
In a related development, Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal claimed he could end banditry within two months if given direct control over security agencies, stating he knows the precise locations of bandits terrorizing the state.
