The Defence Headquarters (DHQ), Abuja, has begun questioning all soldiers assigned to protect the Government Girls’ Comprehensive Senior Secondary School, Maga, in Kebbi State on the day 26 students were abducted.
A military source confirmed that the troops had been summoned to Abuja as part of efforts to determine who ordered their withdrawal shortly before terrorists stormed the school.
“It’s all part of the investigation to uncover who instructed them to leave. They have been moved to Abuja,” the source said.
The November 17 attack saw armed terrorists invade the school, kill the Vice Principal, Malam Hassan Makuku, and kidnap 26 schoolgirls. Two students later escaped from captivity.
Public outrage followed revelations that the terrorists struck only minutes after the soldiers assigned to the school’s security had departed.
Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, along with many Nigerians, has since demanded a thorough probe into the circumstances leading to the withdrawal.
The incident has revived painful memories of previous mass abductions, most notably the Chibok schoolgirls tragedy.
The District Head of Maga, Muhammad Dantani, recounted how the military presence at the school disappeared shortly before the gunmen arrived.
He explained:
“Around midnight, I called to verify that the soldiers were still on duty, and I was told they were. But unbeknownst to us, they left around 1 am, shortly before the attack. We still don’t know who authorized their withdrawal or why.”
According to him, when the terrorists arrived, the police officers on ground said they had to take cover due to the overwhelming number and firepower of the invaders.
“The police felt that confronting the attackers would have been a death sentence,” he said.
He added that with no military support and police unable to engage, the gunmen operated freely between 1:30 am and 3:30 am.
The abducted girls were eventually released, with the Kebbi State government stating that Governor Nasir Idris played a major role in securing their freedom.
Twenty-four of the schoolgirls were returned safely.
