All military personnel attached to the Government Girls’ Comprehensive Senior Secondary School, Maga, in Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State, where 26 schoolgirls were abducted have been summoned to Defence Headquarters in Abuja for questioning.
The move comes amid an investigation into the sudden withdrawal of soldiers from the school shortly before the attack.
A credible senior government source confirmed that the military began interrogating personnel stationed at the school to determine who ordered their departure prior to the abduction. The troops are drawn from the Army Barracks in Zuru.
The abduction, which occurred on November 17, saw terrorists storm the school, killing the vice principal, Malam Hassan Makuku, before whisking away 26 students. Two of the girls later escaped, leaving 24 still in captivity at the time.
The incident sparked public outrage, prompting Kebbi State Governor Nasir Idris to call for a probe into the sudden withdrawal of military personnel.
During a closed-door meeting with the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, the governor stressed that prior intelligence had indicated the school was a likely target.
“We need to know why they left. We had intelligence; we provided security, so what happened?” Governor Idris questioned.
The District Head of Maga, Muhammad Dantani, added that military personnel withdrew from the school around 1 a.m., just hours before the attack began.
According to him, police officers on site refused to engage the heavily armed bandits, fearing for their lives. “The number of bandits and their firepower were overwhelming. With the army absent, the police felt engaging would have been suicidal,” he explained.
Negotiated Release of Schoolgirls
The schoolchildren were eventually released on Tuesday after federal authorities negotiated with the abductors.
A source revealed that the girls were held in a forest near the Gusau border between Zamfara and Kebbi states. Security forces mounted surveillance, deployed personnel and a helicopter, and engaged the bandits through professional communication strategies, ultimately securing the girls’ release unharmed.
A viral video from the scene showed a bandit leader among the girls, claiming their freedom was achieved through negotiation. He told the children, “Your release was secured through peaceful negotiations. Our leaders were contacted, and that is how you gained your freedom.”
Community Pledges to Continue Education
Despite the trauma, parents of the rescued schoolgirls have vowed to continue sending their children to school.
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