Key points

• Armed groups carried out new raids in Kwara, Kebbi and Kano.

• Security agencies expanded operations as residents demanded protection.

• Kebbi schoolgirls returned home after seven days in captivity.

Armed groups seized twenty people in Kwara and Kano between Monday night and Tuesday morning. The attacks widened a kidnapping wave that has stretched security agencies across the north.

The latest violence unfolded less than a day after thirty eight worshippers taken from the Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku, Kwara, walked free.

Officials described their rescue as a non kinetic operation involving the Department of State Services and the military.

Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga dismissed reports of ransom payments. He noted that the government opened direct channels with the abductors and pushed them until they released the hostages.

Kebbi Schoolgirls Regain Freedom

In Kebbi State, twenty four students from Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, returned home on Tuesday.

Armed men took them from their hostel last week and held them for seven days while federal and state teams searched for them.

Federal authorities increased their involvement after the abduction. This move led to a wider deployment of security personnel in the area.

Later, President Bola Tinubu ordered a full security sweep across forests in Kwara. His aide Sunday Dare added that the Nigerian Air Force would expand aerial patrols across forests in Kwara, Kebbi, and Niger.

Dare explained that aircraft would run round the clock flights and work with ground teams. He also urged residents to report suspicious movements.

Gunmen Strike Kwara Again

The attack on Isapa, a farming community near Eruku, began around six in the evening on Monday. Residents said about thirty armed men entered the town with a herd of cattle and fired into homes as people scrambled to escape.

Police spokesperson Adetoun Ejire Adeyemi confirmed that ten people were taken. However, residents insisted eleven people were missing and listed several women and children among the victims, including a pregnant woman and two nursing mothers.

Houses in the community now carry bullet holes. Spent shells were scattered around the area.

A senior security official said teams were combing the forest that links Isapa, Eruku, and nearby villages. He described the terrain as wide and hard to secure despite recent reinforcements.

Kwara Commissioner of Police Adekimi Ojo visited the community on Tuesday. He met traditional rulers and local leaders.

He also assured them that search teams and vigilantes were already in the forest looking for the captives.

Fear has grown across the area. Some churches and mosques reduced evening activities. Vigilantes increased night patrols. This was the third major abduction in Ekiti Local Government in less than a month.

Night Raids Hit Kano Villages

In Kano State, gunmen kidnapped ten people in Biresawa and Tsundu villages in Tsanyawa Local Government.

A resident, Kabiru Usman, said the attackers arrived around ten in the evening and took five people from his village and another five from a nearby settlement.

Usman explained that his wife, teenage daughter and two other relatives were among those taken. He added that villagers tried to defend themselves but were outmatched.

Earlier in the night, residents had already alerted security agencies after hearing that the kidnappers were heading toward the area.

Kano police spokesperson Abdullahi Kiyawa said the command would verify the report.

Nasarawa Crusade Disrupted by Attack

A church crusade in Agboda near Mararaba Udege ended abruptly on Monday after word spread of an attack in a nearby village.

Organiser Daniel Ukpo said a man riding a motorcycle was assaulted with a machete.

He told reporters that people fled the event as fear swept through the crowd. Ukpo urged authorities to deploy security teams to the area, noting repeated assaults on roads and farmlands.

The Nasarawa police command said the incident had not been formally reported and asked organisers to file a complaint.

Presidency Defends Negotiation Strategy

Onanuga later addressed the rescue of the thirty eight worshippers in Kwara. He said security agencies opted for negotiation because a raid on the kidnappers’ camp could have caused heavy casualties. He added that abductors often position hostages in front of them to block attacks.

According to him, DSS and military teams tracked the kidnappers and applied pressure until they freed the hostages. He stressed that no ransom was paid.

Kebbi Authorities Celebrate Students Return

Kebbi Governor Nasir Idris described the girls’ release as a moment of relief. He thanked the President for directing the Minister of State for Defence to coordinate the operation and praised the efforts of security agencies.

Officials explained that the girls would undergo medical checks and counselling before rejoining their families.

Tinubu welcomed the development and encouraged security agencies to intensify efforts to rescue others still in captivity.

Police Chief Visits Kebbi, Calls Attack an Act of Terror

Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun visited Kebbi on Tuesday. He described the school attack as an attempt to spread fear and disrupt education.

He added that police operations in the northwest had been strengthened to speed up rescue missions.

He noted that intelligence sharing among security agencies had improved since the attack.

Security Experts Demand Accountability

Retired senior military and police officers welcomed the series of rescues but warned that the kidnappers must face consequences.

Retired Brigadier General Peter Aro said the quiet nature of the operation suggested that security agencies might be preparing further action. He warned that rescue without punishment encourages more kidnappings.

Retired Commissioner of Police Lawrence Alobi criticised negotiation efforts. He argued that rewarding armed groups strengthens them and keeps kidnapping profitable.

Former Assistant Inspector General of Police Wilson Inalegwu said talks with terrorists rarely produce results.

He urged the government to confront extremist groups directly, although he noted that some conflicts between herders and farmers can be resolved through dialogue.

Retired Brigadier General George Emdin said each hostage situation requires a different approach. He argued that saving lives remains the priority even when negotiation plays a role.

Retired Brigadier General Bashir Adewinbi agreed with that view. He said preventing new attacks should now guide the next stage of operations. He added that safety depends on cooperation between security agencies, local leaders and residents.

Opposition Blames Tinubu Administration

Opposition parties criticised the Federal Government for opening direct lines of communication with armed groups.

The Peoples Democratic Party described the approach as evidence that the administration could not contain insecurity.

The party demanded clarity on the terms of the talks.

The New Nigeria People’s Party said negotiation with terrorists is uncommon in many countries.

It noted that families may see dialogue as the quickest way to free loved ones but argued that the government has failed in its duty to protect citizens.

The Labour Party said the crisis reflected long standing problems in the security system. It criticised authorities for failing to track armed groups despite widespread NIN registration.

The Social Democratic Party said non state actors now dominate parts of the security space and warned that the killing of a brigadier general pointed to a deeper breakdown of order.