Deborah Akinyosoye
The Federal Government has assured Nigerians that it is taking urgent steps to secure the release of the female students abducted from Government Girls Secondary School, Maga, in Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the government shares in the pain of the affected families and is fully committed to ensuring the safe return of the schoolgirls.
Idris said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has restated that the protection of every Nigerian, particularly schoolchildren, remains a solemn duty of the State.
He condemned the attack, describing it as a reprehensible assault on innocent students and the unlawful killing of school officials who were performing their legitimate responsibilities.
The minister disclosed that security and intelligence agencies have been directed to immediately locate and rescue the abducted students and to ensure that those behind the attack face the full weight of the law.
He emphasised that the government would not relent until the girls are safely reunited with their families.
According to the statement, the Federal Government is intensifying efforts to strengthen internal security by upgrading military, policing, and intelligence capabilities to better prevent attacks and respond swiftly when threats emerge.
Idris added that Nigeria is also boosting its collaborations with regional bodies, including ECOWAS, the African Union, and the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), to secure borders and dismantle terrorist and criminal networks across West and Central Africa.
He urged citizens to remain calm and confident, assuring them that all security agencies are fully mobilised and working tirelessly to bring the situation under control.
The government, he said, remains unwavering in its resolve to protect all Nigerians and ensure that schools remain safe for children across the country.