Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Kayode Egbetokun on Tuesday travelled to Kebbi State to personally assess the situation surrounding the abduction of schoolgirls from Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School, Maga.
His visit marks a heightened federal response to a wave of student kidnappings that has gripped several northern states in recent days.
According to reports, the police chief is scheduled to meet with Kebbi State Governor Nasir Idris, where both officials will review ongoing search operations and discuss the deployment of additional personnel to vulnerable communities.
Egbetokun is also expected to address officers of the Nigeria Police Force stationed in the state, reinforcing directives on rapid response, intelligence sharing, and collaboration with local vigilante structures.
His decision to visit Kebbi followed a high-level security briefing with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa on Sunday.
The meeting came as kidnapping incidents in Kebbi, Niger, and Kwara continue to draw national concern.
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Present at the briefing were top members of Nigeria’s security hierarchy, including the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyode; the chiefs of the Air Force and Navy; the Director-General of the DSS; and the Chief of Army Staff.
Their discussions centred on improving coordination among security agencies and accelerating the retrieval of the abducted students.
The Maga school attack, which occurred in the early hours of November 17, left the vice principal, Malam Hassan Makuku, dead after reportedly attempting to protect students during the invasion.
Dozens of schoolgirls were taken, sparking intense anxiety among parents and the wider community.
While authorities continued grappling with the Kebbi incident, another mass abduction unfolded in Niger State last Friday at St. Mary’s Primary and Secondary School, Papiri.
Witnesses say armed men arrived in large numbers on more than 60 motorcycles, accompanied by a van.
The school gatekeeper was seriously injured during the raid as the attackers moved swiftly through the premises.
Initial reports indicated that 315 students were abducted, although the Christian Association of Nigeria later confirmed that about 50 had managed to escape between Friday and Saturday.
The CAN Chairman in Niger State, Bishop Bulus Yohanna, stressed that the situation remained delicate as families awaited updates from authorities.
Egbetokun’s visit signals a renewed federal commitment to containing the escalating threat of coordinated school attacks.
Security sources say joint police–military operations have already intensified in affected regions, with surveillance efforts expanding and additional ground troops deployed.
Authorities maintain that rescuing the abducted students remains their top priority.
