By Jemimah Wellington, JKNewsMedia Correspondent
THE 25 FEMALE students abducted from Government Girls Secondary School, Maga, have regained their freedom following a strategic intervention by federal security agencies.
Security sources confirmed to journalists on Tuesday that all the kidnapped students had been rescued through efforts led by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the Department of State Services (DSS).
An official announcement is expected later tonight to provide further details of the operation.
Authorities said the girls’ release was achieved using a non-kinetic approach, which relies on dialogue, negotiation, and confidence-building measures rather than military force.
The method underscores a shift by the Federal Government toward resolving mass abduction incidents peacefully.
The abduction occurred on 17 November when armed bandits attacked the Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School (GGCSS) Maga in Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area.
One school official was killed, and a security guard injured before the assailants abducted the students, prompting immediate national concern.
Two of the girls reportedly escaped shortly after the attack. According to a BBC report quoting Hussaini Aliyu, an official from Danko/Wasagu LGA, the students fled while being led into nearby bushes and crossed farmland to safety.
On 19 November, Aliyu released the names of the 25 abducted students, which were organised according to class categories. The reviewed list enabled families and authorities to verify the identities of those affected.
Following the attack, the Kebbi State Police Commissioner, Bello Sani, announced that additional police tactical units, supported by military personnel and vigilante groups, had been deployed.
Sani also said the combined teams were combing surrounding forests and suspected escape routes in a coordinated search-and-rescue operation aimed at recovering the students and apprehending the bandits.
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Waidi Shaibu, also directed troops under Operation FANSAN YANMA to intensify search-and-rescue efforts, ensuring that no effort was spared in locating the abducted girls.
President Bola Tinubu intervened at the federal level by directing Bello Matawalle, minister of state for defence, to relocate to Kebbi to monitor security operations and oversee efforts to secure the students’ release.
Security sources highlighted that the involvement of ONSA and DSS was central to the rescue.
Their coordinated strategy, conducted away from public view, employed negotiation and confidence-building measures that ultimately resulted in the girls’ safe return.
Officials emphasised that the non-kinetic method prioritised the safety of the victims while reducing the risks associated with direct confrontation.
