In a significant development, 24 Nigerian schoolgirls abducted from the Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School (GGCSS) in Kebbi State on November 17 have been released, according to President Bola Tinubu. The armed assailants who stormed the school killed one staff member and initially took 25 students, one of whom managed to escape shortly after the incident. While the president lauded the security forces for their “swift response,” details surrounding the girls’ release remain undisclosed. This incident is part of a broader wave of kidnappings plaguing Nigeria, with over 250 children abducted from a Catholic school in Niger State still missing as of last Friday. A presidential adviser confirmed that all the Kebbi State girls are now safe but warned that the incident has inspired copycat kidnappings in two other states. Tinubu has pledged to deploy additional personnel to vulnerable areas and enhance surveillance efforts, including continuous Air Force monitoring of remote regions. Since the infamous Chibok mass abduction in 2014, more than 1,500 children have been kidnapped from Nigerian schools. The recent spate of abductions, including the St Mary’s School incident where 300 children and staff were taken, has drawn sharp criticism from religious leaders and international figures. UN education envoy Gordon Brown urged the global community to support efforts to ensure Nigerian schools remain safe spaces for learning.