The 35 students abducted by bandits from the Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School (GGCSS) Maga, in Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State, have regained freedom.
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.
The release of all the kidnapped victims was reportedly facilitated through coordinated efforts by officials from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the Department of State Services (DSS).
The abduction of the students, followed by a similar one in Niger State, had drawn concerns at the national and international levels, and prompted a decisive operational order from the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-General, Waidi Shaibu, for troops to intensify efforts to rescue the students.
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The successful release of the students is a major relief for the affected families and the community.
The girls regained freedom through a non-kinetic approach adopted by the Federal Government.
The use of a non-kinetic approach, which involves dialogue, negotiation, and confidence-building measures, underscores the government’s shift toward resolving mass abduction crises through peaceful means.
Meanwhile, PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has ordered a total security cordon around forests in Kwara, Kebbi and Niger States, following a surge in kidnappings and terrorist activities.
The President directed the security to maintain a 24 hour surveillance and link up with the booths on the ground.
Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, disclosed this via a post on his X handle on Tuesday.
President Tinubu ordered the Nigerian Air Force to intensify aerial surveillance over the deepest stretches of the forests where criminals are believed to be hiding.
The operation, he noted, will run round the clock, with air assets maintaining constant communication and coordination with ground troops.
Dare explained that the directive will be in all axes, where joint operations are expected to facilitate the rescue of kidnapped victims.
Communities in the affected regions have also been urged to provide timely intelligence on suspicious movements to aid security forces in restoring safety, Dare added.