A northern advocacy group has praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, and the Nigerian military for their quick and well-planned operation that rescued 24 schoolgirls abducted from Government Girls Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi state.
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In a statement on Tuesday, November 25, Dr Abdulrahman Al-Ma’aruf, president of the Northern Security and Civic Protection Forum (NSCPF), said the speedy release of the girls showed the government acted with seriousness and a clear strategy.
The students had been kidnapped from their hostels on November 17 and were freed on November 25 after the kidnappers abandoned them under military pressure.
Dr Al-Ma’aruf noted that President Tinubu’s decision to send Minister Matawalle to Kebbi changed the pace and urgency of the rescue. Matawalle’s presence, combined with his knowledge of the region from his time as Zamfara governor, helped coordinate multiple security agencies to track down the abductors.
The NSCPF said the rescue marks a shift from the slow responses often seen in past kidnapping cases. They emphasised that the military, when fully supported, can successfully challenge criminal groups that terrorise communities.
“From the moment President Tinubu ordered the minister of state for defence to move to Kebbi and assume personal oversight of operations, the tempo changed,” the statement reads.
“His Excellency, Bello Matawalle, arrived with a clear mandate and deep personal knowledge of the terrain, having confronted similar security challenges during his years as governor of Zamfara. What followed was an intense, closely coordinated multi-agency assault that left the bandits with no safe corridor to escape with the girls. The sustained bombardments over several days created pressure they could not withstand.”
The group also commended President Tinubu for showing that attacks on schoolchildren are unacceptable. They urged the government to continue strong security measures across Kebbi, Zamfara, Sokoto, Niger, and Kaduna, and called for ongoing protection for vulnerable communities.
Finally, the NSCPF reminded authorities of the need to support the rescued girls with counselling and reintegration programs to help them return safely to their families.
“With this rescue, the government has restored hope. Now it must consolidate by ensuring no child in northern Nigeria ever has to face such terror again,” the statement concluded.”
Source: Legit.ng
