A senior Nigerian military commander has ordered an intensified, round-the-clock operation to rescue the 25 schoolgirls abducted during a violent attack in Kebbi State, an incident that has not only shaken the nation but also drawn renewed attention from international political circles, particularly supporters of former U.S. President Donald Trump.
The assault, carried out in the early hours of Monday, targeted the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in the town of Maga. It marks yet another painful reminder of the insecurity confronting northern Nigeria, more than a decade after Boko Haram’s notorious abduction of the Chibok girls, which sparked global outrage and solidarity campaigns.
During a morale-boosting address to troops on ground in Kebbi, the new Chief of Army Staff, Major General Waidi Shaibu, urged soldiers to pursue the kidnappers relentlessly.
“You must continue day and night fighting. We must find these children,” he said, directing the operatives to “leave no stone unturned” in their mission.
Security personnel responded quickly to the distress call, but the armed gang had already scaled the school’s fence, executed the vice-principal, and escaped with the students. Kebbi, situated between the jihadist threat spilling from neighbouring Niger and the activities of heavily armed criminal groups, has become increasingly vulnerable to such attacks.
As details of the incident emerged, the matter quickly attracted attention from the United States, where conservative political figures amplified the story through the lens of religious persecution. Although Kebbi State police confirmed on Tuesday that all the abducted students were Muslim, U.S. Congressman Riley Moore characterized the town as a “Christian enclave” and urged his followers on X to pray for the abducted girls—echoing Trump’s repeated assertions that Christians in Nigeria are being killed in large numbers.
Earlier this month, Trump had claimed he instructed the Pentagon to draft potential plans for intervention in Nigeria, citing what he described as large-scale killings of Christians by radical Islamist groups. His remarks intensified both diplomatic scrutiny and political debate over the nature of Nigeria’s security challenges.
The incident has thus evolved beyond a local tragedy, becoming entangled in complex international narratives about insecurity, extremism, and religious freedom. For families awaiting news of their daughters, however, the focus remains deeply personal: a hope that the military’s renewed efforts will bring the girls home safely and that the cycle of violence targeting schools will finally be broken.