Vice President Kashim Shettima departed Abuja on Wednesday for Kebbi State to meet with local authorities, traditional rulers, and the families of students abducted from Government Girls Secondary School, Maga.
The visit comes after armed gunmen attacked the school in a pre-dawn raid on Monday, killing the vice principal and abducting at least 25 students.
One of the girls, however, reportedly escaped unharmed as security forces and local hunters intensified their search for the others.
Shettima’s trip was ordered by President Bola Tinubu, who has expressed grief over the incident and reiterated the federal government’s commitment to ensuring the safety of all educational institutions.
The Vice President is also expected to receive detailed briefings on the security situation and the ongoing rescue efforts.
“In a statement shared by his spokesman, Stanley Nkwocha, Shettima confirmed, ‘President Tinubu had specifically directed me to assure the people of Kebbi State that the government is doing everything possible to secure the quick and safe release of the abducted girls.”
Accompanying Shettima on the trip are key officials, including Professor Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress; Dr Bernard Doro, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction; Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, Minister of Women Affairs; and Zubaida Umar, Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
The delegation is also tasked with reviewing the federal response to the crisis and coordinating with state authorities on security measures.
The abduction has escalated concerns about persistent banditry in Nigeria’s northwest region.
President Tinubu described himself as “heartbroken” not only over the abduction of the schoolgirls but also following the death of Brigadier General Musa Uba and other soldiers in a separate attack in Borno State. Security agencies are working to locate the remaining students and bring the perpetrators to justice.
Shettima is also to convey the President’s condolences to the affected communities and reaffirm the administration’s commitment to protecting schools nationwide.
