By John Umeh
Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, has called for an urgent inquiry into why soldiers assigned to protect Government Girls’ Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, withdrew shortly before gunmen invaded the school and abducted several students.
The governor made the demand on Friday during a closed-door meeting with the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, who was dispatched by President Bola Tinubu to oversee rescue efforts on the ground.
According to Idris, the state government had earlier received intelligence suggesting that the Maga school was facing an imminent threat. Based on that information, security personnel were deployed to the location—making their sudden exit less than an hour before the attack both suspicious and deeply troubling.
“We had credible intelligence and ensured the school was secured. So why did the personnel leave at that critical moment?” Idris queried during the meeting. “This must be investigated thoroughly.”
The mysterious withdrawal has sparked outrage among residents and heightened concerns about operational failures, with many questioning whether the lapse was the result of negligence or possible internal compromise.
The attack on Maga is the latest in a series of assaults by armed groups operating across Nigeria’s Northwest, where bandit networks continue to exploit weak security infrastructure, difficult terrain, and limited manpower to target schools and rural communities.
Governor Idris noted that Kebbi State has invested heavily in strengthening security responses, including the procurement of hundreds of patrol vehicles and motorcycles for law enforcement agencies—resources he says make the recent security gap even more alarming.
In response, Minister Matawalle, who arrived with senior military commanders, assured the governor that the rescue mission is now being directed from Kebbi. He vowed that troops, equipment, and intelligence assets have been fully mobilised to recover the abducted girls.
“We are here on the ground and fully committed. The safe return of these children remains our highest priority,” he said.
Meanwhile, tension remains high in Maga and neighbouring communities, where parents continue to gather in front of the school in anticipation of updates. Security operations have intensified around forested areas believed to be the militants’ escape routes.
Governor Idris urged residents to remain calm and support the rescue efforts with prayers, promising that his administration would not relent.
“We will not rest until every one of our daughters is brought back safely,” he assured.
The incident has renewed national conversations on the need for stricter oversight and accountability in security deployments, especially in schools that remain prime targets for abductions.
