Kebbi State Governor Nasir Idris on Thursday demanded a full military investigation into the abrupt withdrawal of troops from a girls’ secondary school hours before bandits stormed the facility and abducted dozens of students, questioning who issued the order despite prior intelligence alerts.
The pre-dawn raid on Government Girls’ Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Danko/Wasagu local government area, unfolded less than 45 minutes after soldiers vacated the premises around 3:00 am, leaving the site exposed and sparking outrage over apparent security lapses in Nigeria’s bandit-plagued northwest.
Idris raised the alarm while receiving a solidarity visit from Nigeria Labour Congress President Joe Ajaero, whose delegation came to commiserate with the victims’ families amid a string of school attacks.
“We provided intelligence reports. We alerted them. So, who gave the order for troops to withdraw at that critical hour?” Idris asked, his voice laced with frustration.c72152 He described the pullout as contradicting earlier assurances of bolstered protection for vulnerable border communities frequently targeted by bandits.
The governor, visibly troubled, called for accountability: “I am deeply troubled by this withdrawal. We need a full military investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.”
Ajaero, leading the NLC team, expressed solidarity and urged federal agencies to act swiftly, stating: “We stand with Kebbi and the families of the abducted girls. The federal security apparatus must ensure their safe rescue without further delay.”
The assault, which also claimed the lives of the school’s vice principal and a security guard, has intensified national fury over the vulnerability of educational institutions, following similar abductions in Kaduna and Zamfara. Rescue operations continue, with no ransom demands yet confirmed.
