Kayode Egbetokun, the Inspector General of Police, arrived in Kebbi State on Tuesday in response to the abduction of schoolgirls from Government Girls’ Comprehensive Senior Secondary School, Maga.
During the visit, the police chief is expected to meet with the State Governor, Nasir Idris, and later address personnel of the Nigeria Police Force in the state, Channels Television reports.
Egbetokun’s visit follows a security briefing with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa on Sunday, where the rising cases of abductions in Kebbi, Niger, and Kwara states were discussed.
Also present at the meeting were the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyode; Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Kelvin Aneke; Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Idi Abbas; Chief of Defence Intelligence, Major General E.A.P. Undiendeye; Chief of Army Staff, Major General Waidi Shaibu; and the Director-General of the Department of State Services, Tosin Ajayi.
It had earlier been reported that bandits had stormed the Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School, Maga, in the early hours of November 17, k!lling the Vice Principal, Malam Hassan Makuku, before whisking away several students.
It was gathered that the gunmen operated unhindered during the attack and shot Makuku while attempting to protect the students.
As the nation grappled with the Kebbi tragedy, armed men launched another large-scale abduction in Niger State last Friday at St. Mary’s Primary and Secondary School, Papiri.
It was learned that the gunmen arrived in large numbers, riding on more than 60 motorcycles and accompanied by a van. The school’s gatekeeper was shot and left critically injured.
The gunmen abducted 315 students from the Catholic-owned school, although 50 of them later escaped, according to the Christian Association of Nigeria.
CAN Chairman in Niger State and Catholic Bishop of Kontagora Diocese, Most Rev. Bulus Yohanna, confirmed that the escaping students regained freedom between Friday and Saturday.
