Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has issued a decisive directive to troops operating under Operation FANSAN YANMA to pursue round-the-clock operations until 25 students abducted from Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State, are safely recovered.
Addressing frontline commanders and deployed soldiers, Lieutenant General Shaibu emphasized that intelligence-based missions were crucial to achieving success in the rescue operation. According to counter-insurgency expert Zagazola Makama, the COAS warned that criminal elements had developed a pattern of targeting vulnerable locations while avoiding direct confrontation with security forces.
“You must continue day and night fighting. We must find these children,” Shaibu stated firmly. “For the commanders here, you must leverage intelligence to conduct intelligence-based missions. 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.”
The army chief stressed that ruthless determination remained essential for mission success, telling troops that failure was not an option in bringing the abducted students home safely.
Beyond military personnel, Lieutenant General Shaibu held strategic discussions with local vigilantes and hunters whose terrain knowledge has proven invaluable to security operations in the region. He described these community partners as indispensable allies in the fight against banditry.
“If we have people like you, it is you who will work with us and provide local intelligence. You know these forests and you are the ones to tell us where the criminals are,” the COAS told vigilante groups. “Your hunters should storm the nooks and crannies of these forests. Soldiers will also join you. We are counting on you to work with us to bring lasting peace.”
He commended the vigilantes for their courage and assured them of sustained military support in their collaborative efforts.
The Chief of Army Staff also addressed what he termed the psychological warfare being waged by criminal elements through school attacks. “What these evil people are trying to do is to scare children from going to school. Let every man know we will not allow that,” Shaibu declared.
Earlier during the visit, Lieutenant General Shaibu paid condolence visits to Abubakar Ibrahim Allaje, the traditional ruler of Danko, and Hajiya Rabi Musa Magaji, principal of the attacked school. He reassured both the monarch and school authorities that the military remained fully committed to rescuing every child unharmed.
“We are fully committed. We will not relent. The safety of these children is a national priority, and we are deploying every resource to ensure they return home safely,” the army chief stated.
The abduction has triggered widespread concern across northern Nigeria, where armed groups have increasingly targeted educational institutions, particularly schools with female students. Security forces, police tactical units, and vigilante groups have launched coordinated search operations across multiple routes in efforts to track down the abductors.
Kebbi State Governor Nasir Idris has also visited the affected community, assuring parents that all necessary measures were being taken to secure their children’s safe return.
The military has assured Nigerians that operations will continue unabated until all 25 students are rescued and normalcy restored to the community.