Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, has questioned the Nigerian Army over what he described as the “sudden withdrawal” of military personnel from Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, less than an hour before bandits invaded the facility and abducted several students.
Governor Idris, who spoke on Friday in Birnin Kebbi while receiving Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Joe Ajaero, said the development was particularly troubling given that the state had earlier received intelligence warning of an imminent attack.
“As a responsive government, when we received intelligence on a possible attack, we summoned a security meeting,” Idris said, according to NAN.
“The security agencies assured us that all was well and that personnel would be mobilised to the school. The military was deployed, but they later withdrew by 3am, and by 3:45am, the incident happened.”
The governor said he had demanded a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the withdrawal, calling it a critical lapse that must be explained.
“Who authorised the military to withdraw? How did security personnel pull out at such a critical time? That is our concern. We have asked the military to investigate and identify who gave that order,” he stated.
Idris said both state and federal authorities were working around the clock to secure the release of the abducted schoolgirls. He also thanked President Bola Tinubu for directing Vice-President Kashim Shettima and the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, to intervene directly.
Matawalle, who relocated to Kebbi on Friday under presidential directive, is expected to remain in the state until significant progress is made in the rescue efforts. His arrival echoes his role as former Zamfara governor, where he dealt with repeated bandit attacks, including the notable abduction of 279 schoolgirls in Jangebe in 2021.
Governor Idris added that clerics had been instructed to intensify prayers, noting that the challenges confronting the country suggested that “enemies are working against the government.”
“We assure you that we will do everything humanly possible to rescue our daughters and return them safely to their homes,” he told Ajaero, describing the NLC president’s visit as a gesture of solidarity in a time of distress.
The recent attack on the Maga school has renewed concerns about security lapses in the North-West, especially following multiple abductions in Niger, Kebbi, and Kwara in recent days.