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All 24 schoolgirls kidnapped from a government boarding school in Maga, Kebbi State on November 17 have been reported freed, a relief that should be national news but is instead a reminder of how fragile order has become in many parts of the world. One student escaped the night of the attack and the remaining girls were later returned to authorities, who have yet to release full details about the rescue operation. Americans should be thankful these children are back, and furious that such attacks still happen in the first place.
Nigeria’s president welcomed the release and ordered intensified air surveillance over the forest corridors where bandits hide, while government agencies say a mix of negotiation and behind-the-scenes pressure helped secure the girls’ return. Local governors, meanwhile, have accused security commanders of blunders and even sabotage after soldiers reportedly withdrew before the raid — a scandal that demands answers and accountability. The rescue is welcome, but it cannot paper over a pattern of incompetence and complacency that leaves children exposed to terror.
This latest incident is not isolated; it comes amid a wave of mass abductions across northern Nigeria, including a recent raid on a Catholic school in Niger State where hundreds were seized and dozens later escaped or were freed. These brazen attacks exploit ungoverned spaces and a security vacuum that successive governments have failed to close, and they tragically echo the Chibok era when the world watched too late. Conservatives must call out the hard truth: when a state cannot protect its most vulnerable, disorder fills the gap and predators prosper.
President Trump’s hard-line response to the carnage — redesignating Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern and warning that the United States “would not stand by,” even hinting at air strikes or boots on the ground if atrocities continue — sent a clear signal that there will be consequences for failing to protect civilians. Whether you cheer or worry at the prospect of foreign pressure, the message is simple: there are costs for permitting terrorist and criminal networks to operate with impunity. Strong deterrence has always been a conservative principle; talk of firm action here should be read as a warning to criminals who think lawlessness can go unpunished.
Abuja pushed back, insisting Nigeria is a sovereign democracy that protects all faiths and opening diplomatic channels to calm tensions — a predictable and understandable reaction from any government facing external pressure. Still, diplomacy should not be a cover for excuses: reforms, better intelligence, and a ruthless focus on rooting out the gangs are nonnegotiable if these kidnappings are to stop. The world can and should offer help, but ultimately local leaders must demonstrate the political will to secure their people, or face consequences for failing their citizens.
Americans who prize faith, family, and freedom should stand with the girls, their families, and law-abiding Nigerians demanding order and justice; sympathy is not enough without action. Washington should offer practical aid, back partners who will use it effectively, and make clear that protecting religious minorities and schoolchildren is a priority that merits real consequences for chronic failure. If we are serious about defending the innocent, words must be followed by sustained pressure and support until kidnappers stop counting on safe havens to commit their crimes.
