Army Chiefs On Rescue Mission To Save Abducted Kebbi Schoolgirls

The Chief of Army Staff, Maj. Gen. Waidi Shaibu, has ordered troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA to intensify efforts in the search-and-rescue mission for students abducted in Kebbi State.

According to PUNCH Online had earlier reported that bandits, on Monday, attacked the Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School, Maga, killing the vice principal, Hassan Yakubu Makuku, and abducting 25 students.

According to counter-insurgency expert, Zagazola Makama, the army chief arrived in Kebbi on Monday with a team of principal staff officers from the Army Headquarters.

During the visit, Shaibu held an operational meeting with frontline commanders and later charged soldiers to sustain round-the-clock operations until all the schoolgirls are found and safely returned.

Shaibu reminded the soldiers that unwavering determination was critical to the success of the operation.

He said, “You must continue day and night fighting. We must find these children.

“For the commanders here, you must leverage intelligence to conduct intelligence-based missions. It has become a pattern that bandits target soft targets. If they know you are in a location, they will not come there or face you in a fight, and you can defeat them, can’t you?

You must have all the commitment to make sure you succeed. Once you receive the 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.”

He also met separately with local vigilantes and hunters working alongside security forces, emphasising the importance of stronger collaboration because of their intimate knowledge of the terrain.