Several Nigerian soldiers have been injured after gunmen ambushed a military team deployed to locate and rescue the schoolgirls abducted in Kebbi State, intensifying concerns over the escalating violence across the North-West.
The incident unfolded as troops were advancing toward the suspected hideouts of the attackers, who had seized students from Government Girls Secondary School, Maga.
The ambush came barely a day after the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, issued a forceful directive to frontline personnel, urging them to sustain relentless pressure on the criminal gangs responsible for the mass abduction.
AFRIPOST reports that Shaibu had charged soldiers under Operation Fasin Yamma to maintain continuous combat readiness.
The Army chief stressed that the mission demanded urgency, professionalism, and the full application of intelligence gathered from the field.
“Our forces must remain on the offensive. Every child taken must be brought home,” Shaibu told commanders, according to military sources familiar with the briefing.
Another senior officer added that the COAS had insisted on “swift, intelligence-led responses” to prevent further attacks and to accelerate the search-and-rescue effort.
Following that directive, troops moved out in a coordinated operation intended to disrupt the attackers’ escape routes.
However, their convoy came under heavy fire from terrorists lying in wait, resulting in multiple casualties.
Footage reviewed by this newspaper shows wounded soldiers sprawled beside their bullet-riddled vehicle, pleading for help as their colleagues attempted to assess the extent of their injuries.
One injured soldier, speaking weakly in Hausa, said a colleague identified as Musa had been hit in the leg, describing his condition as “very critical”.
Military authorities have yet to release an official statement, but officers on the ground noted that reinforcements have been dispatched and aerial surveillance has been intensified around the affected zone.
Meanwhile, security analysts say the ambush underscores the evolving tactics of armed groups in the region, who increasingly exploit the difficult terrain to stage surprise attacks.
The ongoing search for the abducted schoolgirls continues, and troops have reportedly been ordered to maintain round-the-clock operations until every victim is accounted for.
The incident adds to growing public pressure on security institutions to prevent further setbacks in a mission that has gripped national attention and revived calls for stronger, technology-driven counterterrorism strategies.