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…FG Condemns Kidnap Of Schoolgirls, Vows Swift Rescue
…Sagay, Okorie, Others Ask Nigeria To Seek External Help
…Development, A Failure Of Governance, Say Legal Experts
…PDP Charges Tinubu To Secure Lives, Property Of Nigerians

Outrage on Monday trailed the abduction of 25 schoolgirls from Government Girls Comprehen­sive Senior Secondary School (GGCSS) in Maga, Danko/Wasa­gu Local Government Area of Kebbi State by terrorists.

Nigerians have expressed shock following the large scale kidnapping of the schoolgirls, not­ing that instead of the insecurity situation to abate it is worsening by the day.

A statement by Nafi’u Abuba­kar Kotarkoshi, spokesperson of the Kebbi State Police Command, said the assailants were “armed with sophisticated weapons” and “stormed the school about 4:00a.m, engaging police person­nel on duty in a gun duel”.

He confirmed that Hassan Makuku, the school’s vice princi­pal, lost his life during the attack, while Ali Shehu, a security guard, sustained gunshot injuries to his right hand.

According to a teacher, the gunmen thereafter fled towards neighbouring Zamfara with the abducted students.

Bello Muhammad Sani, the Commissioner of Police in Keb­bi State, said additional police tactical units, alongside military personnel and vigilance groups, have been deployed to the area.

FG Condemns Kidnap Of Schoolgirls, Vows Swift Rescue

Meanwhile, the Federal Gov­ernment has expressed deep concern and solidarity with the families of the female students abducted from Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Sec­ondary School, Maga, in Danko/ Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State.

In a statement, Mohammed Id­ris, Minister of Information and National Orientation, extended heartfelt sympathy to the affect­ed families, assuring on commit­ment to bringing the girls home safely.

Idris reiterated that protect­ing every Nigerian, especially schoolchildren, remains a solemn responsibility of the state.

The government condemns the reprehensible attack on inno­cent students and the killing of school officials who were carrying out their noble duty.

“Our security and intelligence agencies have been issued clear directives to locate, rescue, and safely return the students, and to ensure that the perpetrators face justice. The Federal Government will not relent until this objective is achieved.

“We assure Nigerians that strengthening internal security remains a top priority.

“The Federal Government is recalibrating the nation’s mil­itary, policing, and intelligence capabilities to more effectively prevent these attacks and respond with greater speed and precision whenever threats arise.

“Nigeria is also reinforcing co­operation with regional partners through ECOWAS, the African Union, and the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) to secure our borders and disrupt terrorist and criminal networks. We urge the public to remain calm and confident”.

Sagay, Okorie Say Nigeria Needs External Help

Reacting to the development, Prof. Itse Sagay, former chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC) and foremost constitu­tional lawyer, said, “The more the government says it is working at it and is attacking the situation, the situation is getting more frighten­ing,” he said.

“I don’t understand how non-state actors can be stronger and more effective than the very well-trained armed forces.”

On whether he agreed that the country needs help to tackle the menace, the erudite jurist said perhaps Nigeria should seek help, explaining that the country needs to liaise with perhaps exter­nal bodies to define how such help could come.

“Yes we may need help now, but not just jumping in it.

“I believe we should cooperate here; the Federal Government, the American Federal Government should discuss so we can tell them the areas where we need them.

“It should be based on cooper­ation, not intervention without consent.

“And I think the government should be ready to cooperate be­cause it is obvious that the whole situation is out of control,” he said.

Chief Chekwas Okorie, found­er and former National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), said the recent kidnapping of the schoolgirls had shown that the country truly needs help.

“The kidnap of the girls has now shown that we truly need help. It also shows that the inse­curity and its nature have over­whelmed the security agencies,” he said.

“Much as I know that our se­curity personnel are doing their best to ensure that Nigerians are safe, there are still limitations and this latest kidnapping of the girls has shown it.

“It has also shown that the ex­tent of insecurity in the country is what we cannot handle any lon­ger. Remember Trump said that they know where these terrorists and insurgents are.

“I don’t know why some people are against the offer from Ameri­ca but I feel we truly need help to stop these security challenges we are currently battling with, it is obvious to all that we need help right now,” he said.

Repeat Of Chibok And Dapchi Abductions

The spokesperson of Middle Belt Forum (MBF), Dr. Isuwa Dogo, regretted that what hap­pened in Chibok and Dapchi is repeating in Kebbi State, stress­ing that the government should urgently seek help to stop the kill­ings and abduction of Nigerians.

Dogo said, “So it’s a terrible thing to start thinking that what happened in Chibok and Dapchi is happening again in any second­ary school in the north, or in any part of Nigeria.

“The government should have been begging for help. It has been long overdue. If we beg to buy arms at that particular time, during Jonathan’s time, and the U.S refused. And now they’re say­ing they’ll even come with their people to come and do the fighting for us. Why should we refuse?

“You’re not even going to buy arms. Your people will also be un­der protective custody, and they’ll be fighting terrorism on behalf of Nigeria.”

He added, “The issue of killing is not a joke. And it’s almost on a daily basis. And it’s not probably wrong to say what is reported is less than one-tenth of what hap­pened. Donald Trump didn’t say he’s coming to kill Nigerians or to go into war with Nigeria. They’re talking of killing terrorists. So if it’s talking of combating terror­ists, and combating terrorism doesn’t necessarily mean killing them in the real sense of it.

“It can mean you want to stop terrorism and the killings of in­nocent people. Whatever, whether they are Christians or Muslims is not the case now. I think we should welcome them. And we should have even done it from the day he said it, not to even waste time.”

A civil society organisation, Centre for Public Accountability, asked the government to seek help immediately.

Femi Lawson, Secretary Gen­eral of Centre for Public Account­ability, has urged the government to open itself up for collaboration and support to address insecurity.

Lawson said, “The Nigerian government should be willing to open itself up for collaboration and support, particularly from those nations that have, you know, the wherewithal to tackle insecurity. There’s nothing wrong if we’re seeking assistance in the area of intelligence, digital technology, supply of arms and ammunitions and of course, training of our security agencies to enhance our capacity to tackle these menaces of terrorism. It’s the biggest challenge facing this country, not even an economic challenge, because it’s only when people are safe and alive that they can begin to transform their eco­nomic lives.”

Kebbi Tragedy Exposes State Failure— Legal Experts

Mr. Olajide Abiodun, the Vice-Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikorodu branch & Chairman, Human Rights Committee, noted that the Nigerian constitution makes the protection of lives and property a binding obligation.

He added that Section 14(2) (b) states that the ‘security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government,’ and Section 33 guarantees the right to life.

“In the context of the Kebbi school abductions, where armed groups invaded a learning en­vironment and abducted pupils and teachers, it is difficult to argue that the state has fulfilled that duty. Constitutional responsibility must be practical, proactive, and effec­tive. This incident reflects a clear failure of preventive protection.”

According to Abiodun, when security agencies fail despite prior intelligence, several mechanisms can be activated. The National Human Rights Commission can investigate human rights viola­tions arising from negligence. The Police Service Commission can sanction officers who failed to act. The National Assembly can summon security chiefs, investi­gate systemic lapses, and demand explanations. At the state level, oversight by Houses of Assembly and internal disciplinary bodies can also be triggered. These struc­tures exist to ensure that security failures are addressed.”

Also, Mr. Femi Aborisade, hu­man rights lawyer, stated that the kidnap of any person anywhere in Nigeria is a failure of gover­nance, adding that all levels of government have responsibility to guarantee security of persons. So, all levels of government have collectively failed to safeguard physical security, but the culpabil­ity of the Federal Government is greater because the Federal Gov­ernment firmly controls all the co­ercive apparatus of government.”

On Donald Trump’s criticism of Nigeria’s leadership; Abori­sade said Trump has restated statements of facts which citizens, including government officials, acknowledge regarding the fail­ure of government to guarantee security.

“President Trump has said nothing new. Our concern should be that successive governments, including the present adminis­tration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, have failed the test of guaranteeing security of lives.

“It is our perception of our re­ality that matters, not the percep­tion of the international commu­nity. We should focus on ensuring that government is responsive to the security of our lives, and where they are incapable, to put pressure on them to resign.”

Chief Goddy Uwazurike, President of the Cultural Cred­ibility Development Initiative (CCDI), said the constitution has far-reaching sections on the secu­rity and welfare of the citizens, which it calls the primary duty of the government.

“It does not specify whether it is the federal, state, or local gov­ernment. In other words, it is the primary duty of all three. The con­stitution also guarantees our right to liberty, education, movement, and dignity of citizens. It assures us qualitative education and free­dom from religious domination.

“What has just happened to the unspecified number of stu­dents and staff is an unmitigat­ed assault on the sovereignty of Nigeria, eleven and a half years after the Chibok abduction. The local common factor of both ab­ductions is that the man who was the governor of Borno (Chibok is a part therein) is today the Vice President of the Federal Repub­lic of Nigeria. I can say without any fear of contradiction that we have learnt nothing and forgotten nothing!”

On accountability and secu­rity lapses, Uwazurike said: “As always, the ubiquitous military checkpoints failed to detect the ter­rorists as they rode their motor­cycles in groups of 100 over long distances, and the military intel­ligence failed to detect danger. By the way, the APC government of President Muhammadu Buhari laboured hard to get us to refer to the outlaws as bandits and not ter­rorists. The current leadership of the APC government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is also treat­ing the outlaws with kid gloves.

“As a matter of fact, the deci­sion of President Donald Trump to go after Nigeria is based on a report made by the Catholic Bishop in Benue State in 2024, be­fore Trump came to power. This latest kidnapping adds fuel to the anger over the genocide evidence brought by the Benue State Cath­olic Bishop. Yesterday, Pope Leo listed Nigeria among countries under the inhumane jackknife of genocide! It should be remem­bered that it was the complaint of the Pope early this year that made the President of Nigeria visit Benue State (without visiting the scene of the massacre)!”

Mr. Kabir Akingbolu, a human rights lawyer, said there is indeed serious insecurity in the nation. He, however, added that despite the fact that there is serious inse­curity, he does not fully agree with President Trump that insecurity in Nigeria is unprecedented.

PDP Condemns Abduction Of Girls, Killings At Maga School

The Peoples Democratic Par­ty (PDP) has strongly condemned the attack on the Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Sec­ondary School (GGCSS), Maga, in Danko/Wasagu Local Govern­ment Area of Kebbi State, where bandits killed the Vice Principal, Hassan Yakubu Makuku, and ab­ducted 25 students.

PDP, in a statement by its new­ly elected National Publicity Sec­retary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, said that the tragic incident fur­ther highlighted the alarming rise in insecurity that has become the lived reality of majority of Nige­rians under the President Ahmed Bola Tinubu-led All Progressives Congress (APC) administration.

“This tragic incident further highlights the alarming rise in insecurity that has become the lived reality of majority of Nige­rians under the Tinubu-led APC administration- which has consis­tently preferred the politicisation of governance over the protection of citizens.

“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,” PDP said.

The party, has, however com­miserated with the parents of the abducted students, the family of the slain vice principal, as well as the staff, students, and manage­ment of the affected school, and the government of Kebbi State.

“Apart from this highly dis­turbing Maga school incident, other abductions have taken place in Nasarawa, Plateau, Kano and Katsina in recent times and this is clearly not the hope (renewed and ‘unrenewed’) promised Nige­rians,” PDP said.

The party called on President Tinubu to devote urgent and sufficient attention to securing the lives and property of Nigeri­ans so that “this tragic cycle can finally come to an end. Or do we want a foreign country to threaten the government on this? Let the killings stop!”