• Army chief orders pursuit of kidnappers, meets vigilantes for joint operations
• Hope rises as one abducted schoolgirl escapes from bandits’ camp
• Gani Adams warns of looming attacks in S’West, faults govs’ silence
• PDP blames Tinubu for rising insecurity; Obi seeks overhaul of security architecture
• HURIWA alleges lapses in Army communication; UNICEF demands girls’ release
• Taraba gov halts planned APC defection, says national mood too grim for politics

THE mass abduction of schoolgirls in Kebbi State has triggered urgent military action, political condemnation, and regional security warnings, intensifying pressure on President Bola Tinubu’s administration as critics question the government’s capacity to protect citizens amid Nigeria’s worsening insecurity crisis.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, yesterday, ordered troops under Operation Fasan Yamma to step up efforts to secure the release of students abducted on Monday from Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School, Maga, in Danko/Wasagu Council, Kebbi State.
The directive was contained in a statement issued in Gusau by the Media Information Officer of the operation, Captain David Adewusi.
Addressing frontline commanders and troops, Shaibu urged them to pursue intelligence-led operations and maintain what he called a “relentless day-and-night pursuit” of the kidnappers. “We must find these children. Act decisively and professionally on all intelligence. Success is not optional,” he said.
He also met local vigilantes and hunters, whom he described as vital partners in the mission. He encouraged them to use their knowledge of the terrain to support troops in locating and neutralising criminal groups. “Together, we will restore peace and ensure children can attend school safely,” he added.

Earlier, the army chief paid condolence visits to the traditional ruler of Danko, Alhaji Abubakar Ibrahim Allaje, and to the school’s principal, Rabi Musa Magaji. He assured them of the military’s commitment to rescuing the missing students unharmed.
Shaibu’s charge came as the school’s principal confirmed that one of the 25 schoolgirls kidnapped by bandits escaped from captivity and returned home.
She said the girl’s return, coming just hours after the abduction, had provided a glimmer of hope for families anxiously awaiting news of their missing children.
Gani Adams warns of looming security threat in South-West

MEANWHILE, the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, has raised alarm over what he described as an escalating wave of insecurity drifting towards the South-West, warning that failure to act swiftly could carry severe consequences for the region.
Speaking at a world press conference organised by the Aare Onakakanfo in Council at Oodua House, Ikeja, Lagos, Adams said fresh intelligence from local networks suggested that armed groups were “mobilising to leave forests and invade towns and cities,” likening the situation to “a cancer spreading across Yorubaland.”

“If care is not taken urgently, this clear, present, serious, and immediate danger can change the topography, landscape, and history of peace-loving Yoruba people,” he said. “This insecurity gradually creeps into Yorubaland, which is a monster that must be fought with all powers at our disposal.”

Adams linked the nationwide insecurity to criminal groups driven by financial gain and exploiting Nigeria’s mineral resources, urging government at all levels to protect those assets with the same resolve applied to crude oil.
He also expressed frustration over what he called the state governors’ persistent reluctance to collaborate with his organisation on security matters, noting that several official letters had gone unanswered. He recalled proposing a South-West Security Summit to bring together traditional leaders, religious figures, farmers, businesspeople, herders, and security agencies, but said the idea had not received the needed attention from those in authority.
Citing the urgency of the situation, Adams reiterated support for foreign military assistance, backing the recent call by former United States President Donald Trump for international help in tackling terrorism in Nigeria.

“That is why we welcome the proposal by the 47th American President, Donald Trump, to flush out these terrorists killing Christians and Muslims in Nigeria,” he said. “I still don’t understand why some people are against this military intervention to deal with these bandits.
“If our governors are powerless or, for political reasons, refuse to deal with the situation, it is better for American soldiers to help this land. Donald Trump has not told anybody he wants to set up a military base in Nigeria. What he simply said was that enough killings in Nigeria. So, what is wrong with that?”

PDP condemns attack on Kebbi school, faults rising insecurity
THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) condemned the attack on the girls’ school.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, the party said the “tragic incident further highlights the alarming rise in insecurity that has become the lived reality of the majority of Nigerians under the Tinubu-led APC administration, which has consistently preferred the politicisation of governance over the protection of citizens.”
The PDP said: “When a government fails in its primary duty of safeguarding lives and property, it must accept responsibility and deal decisively with the issues, rather than act aloof or attempt to deflect from the core issues, as this administration has repeatedly done.”
The party expressed condolences to the parents of the abducted students, the family of the slain Vice Principal, and the staff, students, and management of the school, as well as the Kebbi State government.
It noted that, beyond the “highly disturbing” school incident, recent abductions have also occurred in Nasarawa, Plateau, Kano, and Katsina, adding that the situation “is clearly not the hope (renewed and ‘unrenewed’) promised Nigerians.”
The PDP called on President Tinubu to devote urgent and sufficient attention to securing the lives and property of Nigerians to bring an end to what it described as a tragic cycle of violence.
Peter Obi condemns Kebbi, Zamfara attacks, urges urgent overhaul of security system

FORMER Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, expressed shock and sadness over the recent attacks in Kebbi and Zamfara States, which led to the abduction of the schoolgirls and the killing of several people.
In a statement issued from Monaco, Italy, Obi described the incidents as “devastating and unacceptable losses” and extended condolences to the affected families and communities.

“My heart is heavy in faraway Monaco as I receive the heartbreaking news from Kebbi State about the attack on Maga Comprehensive Girls’ Secondary School, which led to the abduction of several young female students and the killing of a staff member,” he said.
He noted that similar violence had occurred in Zamfara State, where bandits reportedly killed three people and abducted about 64 others in Fegin Baza village, Tsafe Local Council. “These are devastating and unacceptable losses,” he added.
Obi called on all levels of government to intensify security efforts, overhaul the country’s security architecture, and ensure the safe rescue of the abducted girls. He said communities now lived in fear, with schools — which should be safe spaces — becoming prime targets for attacks.

“This is not the Nigeria we should accept,” he said, stressing that the government must do more to protect citizens, especially children.
He urged authorities to act swiftly to prevent further attacks on schools and communities. “Our children must never be left at the mercy of terrorists. May the soul of the staff member who lost his life rest in peace, and may God comfort the bereaved families,” he said.
Obi prayed for the safe return of the abducted girls and guidance for security agencies working to rescue them. He concluded by insisting that “Nigeria must do better. Our children deserve safety, and our people deserve peace.”

HURIWA alleges lapses in Army operations after ISWAP kills senior officer
FOR its part, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) raised concerns over the killing of Brigadier General M. Uba by the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), alleging serious lapses and possible complicity within the Nigerian Army.
In a statement released yesterday, the organisation criticised what it described as the federal government’s inaction and the absence of any public response from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu following the execution-style killing of the senior officer.
HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, said the circumstances surrounding General Uba’s capture, reportedly enabled by terrorists breaching military communications, exposed troubling weaknesses in the country’s defence systems. “Any functional government that loses a serving General to terrorists would by now have launched massive counter-insurgency operations aimed at decimating the perpetrators. Why is the Nigerian state normalising these abnormalities?” he said.
The group said it was alarmed by the lack of an official reaction from the presidency and the failure to escalate counter-terror measures in response to the incident. “The killing of a top-ranking military officer should have triggered a declaration of heightened threat levels and an immediate national counter-terrorism response,” it stated.

HURIWA also criticised the reintegration of former terrorists, suggesting that weak rehabilitation policies may be fuelling ongoing insecurity. It called for an urgent investigation into the Army’s communication systems and demanded accountability for operational failures that allowed ISWAP to capture and execute the officer.

UNICEF condemns school attack, demands swift release of abducted students
REACTING, the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) condemned the attack on the girls’ school, describing the incident as “another stark reminder of the urgent need to protect children, schools, and the personnel they rely upon to learn safely.”
In a statement issued yesterday in Abuja, UNICEF called for the immediate release of the abducted students and stressed that children, education facilities, and school personnel are protected under international law and must not be subjected to any form of attack.
The organisation said those responsible must be held to account in line with national and international standards.
UNICEF recalled that Nigeria endorsed the Safe Schools Declaration in 2015, a commitment outlining specific measures to safeguard the civilian nature of schools and ensure that students can continue learning even in conflict situations. It urged all stakeholders to intensify efforts to fully implement the declaration nationwide.
The statement read: “We stand with the affected community at this difficult time. Our heartfelt condolences go to those who have lost their loved ones, and we wish a full recovery for those injured.
“UNICEF is working with government partners, civil society, and communities to strengthen child protection systems and promote safe and inclusive learning environments across the country. These systems and environments must be reinforced to prevent future tragedies.”

Taraba gov postpones planned APC defection
IN a related development, Taraba State Governor, Agbu Kefas, has postponed his planned defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) following the recent abduction of schoolgirls in Kebbi State.
In a statement, the governor described the kidnapping as heartbreaking and said it would be inappropriate to proceed with political activities while families and the nation are dealing with the trauma of the incident. He extended sympathy to the families of the abducted students and conveyed condolences to the Federal Government.
Kefas urged security agencies to intensify efforts to ensure the safe rescue of the victims. He said the safety and well-being of the children were more important than any political event, stressing that the need to postpone the defection “can no longer be overemphasised.”
The defection, which had been scheduled for today, has been put on hold pending further consultations and an improvement in the security situation.