Freed at last
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has welcomed the release of the 24 schoolgirls abducted by terrorists at the Government Girls’ Comprehensive Senior Secondary School, Maga, in Kebbi State, last Monday.
Newsmata.com.ng reports that terrorists stormed the school at dawn on November 17, 2025, and whisked away the helpless girls shortly after a military detachment withdrew from the premises.
Two other kidnap episodes were to follow in quick succession with the bandits striking at Eruku in Kwara State, and Papiri, in Niger State, hauling away innocent school children.
All the 38 kidnapped victims in Eruku however regained their freedom on Sunday under unclear circumstances.
Fifty out of the abducted students at St. Mary’s Catholic School were however said to have escaped from their abductors and reunited with their parents, according to the Niger State chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).
Expressing relief at the release of the abducted Kebbi school girls, President Tinubu, in a statement by Bayo Onanuga, his spokesperson, applauded the security agents for their efforts in securing freedom for all the victims taken away by the terrorists.
The statement reads: “President Bola Tinubu has welcomed the release today of the 24 schoolgirls abducted by terrorists in Maga Kebbi last Monday.
“Terrorists struck at the school at dawn on November 17 and abducted the girls, moments after a military detachment left the premises.
“The Kebbi incident triggered some other copycat kidnappings in Eruku in Kwara State and Papiri in Niger State.
“All 38 kidnapped victims in Eruku were freed on Sunday. The same day, the Niger State chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria said 50 of the missing students of the Catholic School in Niger have been found in their parents’ homes.
“President Tinubu applauded the security agents for all the efforts made to secure freedom for all the victims taken away by the terrorists.
“He tasked the security agents to make more efforts to rescue the remaining students still being held captive.
“I am relieved that all the 24 girls have been accounted for. Now, we must put as a matter of urgency more boots on the ground in the vulnerable areas to avert further incidents of kidnapping. My government will offer all the assistance needed to achieve this”.