By Peter.
President Bola Tinubu, reeling from twin blows to national security, has ordered Vice President Kashim Shettima to Kebbi State on Wednesday to console families and pledge swift rescue for 25 abducted schoolgirls—now down to 24 after one escaped. In a stark statement from spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu also mourned the confirmed execution of Brigadier General Musa Uba by ISWAP terrorists in Borno, calling it a “depressing” loss alongside three other fallen heroes.
Kebbi Kidnapping: Dawn Raid Shatters School Sanctuary
Gunmen stormed the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Danko/Wasagu LGA, before dawn on November 17, killing Vice Principal Musa Rabi Magaji and snatching 25 Muslim students from their dorms—echoing the ghosts of Chibok (2014) and Dapchi (2018). One girl fled captors and reached home late Monday; another escaped pre-abduction. No ransom demands yet, but locals finger nomadic herder gangs or bandits—no jihadist claim.
Tinubu, briefed on intel lapses, lauded Gov. Nasir Idris’s preventive push but decried the breach: “Heartless terrorists have disrupted innocent education.” He ordered agencies to “act swiftly” for returns, urging communities: “Security forces can’t succeed without your intel—share it to safeguard our homes.” Army Chief Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu visited troops Tuesday, vowing “decisive” ops under Operation Fasan Yanma.
Borno Ambush: ISWAP’s Grisly Trophy – General Uba’s Execution
In a gut-wrenching escalation, ISWAP ambushed Brig. Gen. Uba’s 25 Task Force Brigade convoy near Wajiroko, Damboa LGA, on November 15—post-Sambisa patrol—killing him, two soldiers, and two CJTF members. The group released execution pics via Amaq, branding Uba a “martyr” target for his anti-terror raids. Initial Army denials of abduction fueled outrage; Atiku Abubakar slammed “leadership failure,” calling for military occupation of hotspots like Borno.
Tinubu extended condolences: “As Commander-in-Chief, I’m depressed by our fallen heroes… God comfort their families.” Cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi hailed Uba a “martyr,” urging focus on terror’s foreign roots over optics.
National Pulse: Outrage, Unity Calls, and Political Pauses
X lit up with fury: Users blasted Tinubu’s Paris trip timing (“Clueless, heartless”), decried normalized abductions (“Nothing changed”), and tied it to global neglect (e.g., Nicki Minaj’s UN plea). Taraba Gov. Agbu Kefas shelved APC defection, citing “inappropriate” optics; APC postponed his reception in solidarity.
Analyst Nick Agule pins woes on intel gaps, rural neglect—echoing 20K+ deaths since 2020. As rescues intensify, Tinubu’s plea rings: Community tips are the frontline weapon.
Another day, another scar—will intel-sharing turn the tide? Your thoughts on this endless fight? Share below. 🇳🇬💔 #KebbiAbduction #EndBanditry #NigeriaSecurity
