VP Shettima Lands in Kebbi to Meet Abducted Schoolgirls’ Families

In a high-level show of federal concern, Vice President Kashim Shettima arrived in Kebbi State today to engage directly with state government officials and the families reeling from the devastating abduction of schoolgirls from the Government Girls Secondary School, Maga. The visit follows the horrific attack where assailants kidnapped 25 students and killed the school’s Vice Principal.

The aircraft carrying the Vice President, who traveled on the direct directive of President Bola Tinubu, touched down at the Sir Ahmadu Bello International Airport in Birnin Kebbi. Shettima was accompanied by key federal officials, including the Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Zubaida Umar, demonstrating a commitment to coordinating both security and relief efforts on the ground.

The Vice President’s mission is twofold: he is expected to convey President Tinubu’s personal message of commiseration and support to the people of Kebbi State, who have been plunged into grief by the tragedy. Crucially, he is also scheduled to receive a detailed security and situation briefing from local authorities, which he will relay back to President Tinubu for onward federal action.

The tragic incident, which has sent shockwaves across the nation, claimed the life of the school’s Vice Principal, Malam Hassan Makuku, who was reportedly killed while making a courageous attempt to shield the girls and prevent the attackers from carrying out the mass abduction.

In response to the crisis, the police announced earlier this week that a combined tactical team had been deployed, tasked with combing the vast surrounding forests in a desperate bid to rescue the abducted students. The deployment signals an intensive ground operation aimed at tracking the assailants and ensuring the safe return of the victims.

President Tinubu had previously condemned the attack and reached out to commiserate with the affected families. The gravity of the situation was further underscored by the President’s decision to postpone his scheduled international trips to Johannesburg, South Africa, for the 20th G20 Summit, and Luanda, Angola, for the 7th AU-EU Summit. This move highlighted the administration’s resolve to prioritize the immediate domestic security crisis over crucial diplomatic engagements. Vice President Shettima’s on-the-ground visit now represents the executive arm’s concentrated effort to manage the crisis directly at the point of impact.