Summary
The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has arrived in Kebbi State for an official engagement.
During his stay, he is scheduled to meet Governor Nasir Idris before addressing personnel of the Nigeria Police Force.
His visit coincides with ongoing rescue missions for the abducted Maga schoolgirls being led by security agencies.
Egbetokun had earlier met with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa on Sunday to discuss the deteriorating security landscape, especially the series of abductions unfolding in Kebbi, Niger and Kwara States.
The meeting also had in attendance the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Olufemi Oluyode; the Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Kelvin Aneke; the Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Idi Abbas; the Chief of Defence Intelligence, Major General EAP Undiendeye, and the Chief of Army Staff, Major General Waidi Shaibu.
The Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Tosin Ajayi, was also present.
Maga Abduction
On November 17, armed assailants struck the Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School (GGCSS) in Maga, Kebbi State.
Reports indicate that several students were taken following an assault carried out in the early hours of Monday at the school located in the Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area.
Sources revealed that the Vice Principal, Malam Hassan Makuku, was killed during the attack before the girls were seized by the invaders.
The attackers encountered no resistance, causing widespread panic and plunging the area into fear and grief.
Makuku lost his life while attempting to shield the students from harm.
Niger School Incident
Before the country could recover from the shock of the Kebbi attack, another group of gunmen launched an operation in Niger State.
These attackers stormed St. Mary’s Primary and Secondary School, Papiri, last Friday.
Accounts suggest the criminals arrived in large numbers, riding more than 60 motorcycles and accompanied by a vehicle. They reportedly shot the school’s gatekeeper, leaving him critically injured.
According to the Christian Association of Nigeria, 315 students were abducted from the Catholic-run school, although 50 managed to escape.
The CAN Chairman in Niger State, Most Rev. Bulus Yohanna, who also serves as the Catholic Bishop of Kontagora Diocese, confirmed that the escapees fled between Friday and Saturday.
“The pupils escaped between Friday and Saturday and have reunited with their parents as they could not return to the school after they escaped. We were able to ascertain this when we decided to contact and visit some parents,” Yohanna’s spokesman, Daniel Atori, said in a statement.
“The pupils escaped between Friday and Saturday and have reunited with their parents as they could not return to the school after they escaped. We were able to ascertain this when we decided to contact and visit some parents.
“Note that, in the primary section out of the total number of 430 pupils we have in the school, 377 of them are boarders and the remaining 53 others are non-boarders.”
Police Intensify Search
The Niger State Police Command stated that its tactical teams, working alongside the military, have been deployed to locate the abducted students.
According to the police, a report was received around 2am (01:00 GMT) indicating that “some armed bandits invaded St Mary’s Private [Catholic] Secondary School, and abducted a yet to be ascertained number of students from the school’s hostel”.
The security agencies are “combing the forests with a view to rescue the abducted students”.
This heightened vigilance follows several security breaches that have placed Nigeria under renewed global scrutiny.
Tinubu Shelves G20 Summit
Due to the escalating situation, President Tinubu cancelled his scheduled trip to the G20 summit in South Africa. Vice President Kashim Shettima attended on his behalf, according to an announcement by the presidency on X.
The school kidnappings and a recent attack on a church have raised alarm weeks after United States President Donald Trump threatened possible military action over what he termed targeted killings of Nigeria’s Christians, a claim dismissed by the Nigerian government, which insists that Muslims constitute the majority of victims of armed groups.
Trump’s statement mirrors arguments that have gained influence in right-wing and evangelical communities.
Church Attack
Separate from the school abductions, a violent attack on a church in western Nigeria on Tuesday resulted in two deaths during a service that was livestreamed. Numerous worshippers are believed to have been kidnapped.
Meanwhile, gunmen who abducted 38 worshippers from a church in Kwara State on Tuesday are demanding a ransom of 100 million naira (about $69,000) for each person, according to a church representative.
What You Should Know
Nigeria is facing a renewed surge in insecurity marked by coordinated school kidnappings, deadly assaults on religious centres, and rising fear across multiple states.
The visit of the Inspector General of Police to Kebbi highlights the gravity of the situation as authorities struggle to track and rescue abducted students while navigating escalating public concern.
The recent attacks unfold against growing international attention and political pressure, placing the government under intense scrutiny as families await concrete action and relief.
