IGBOZURUOKE MEDIA

Maga District Head, Muhammad Dantani, has raised serious concerns over the role of the Nigerian military in the recent attack on Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Kebbi State, where armed bandits killed a staff member and abducted 25 students.

Speaking to Sunday PUNCH, Dantani described the incident as “extremely distressing and heartbreaking for the entire Maga community.” 

He recounted how bandits stormed the school in the early hours, killing Malam Hassan Makuku, a committed Islamic scholar and the school’s Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria patron. 

“They also shot the school’s watchman, who happens to be my uncle. From there, they moved into the students’ hostel area, creating panic and fear,” he said.

The district head explained that when he received news of the attack at around 4:30 a.m., he immediately called the school principal and mobilised to assess the situation. 

“Initially, it seemed 27 students were missing. However, during verification, we discovered that one student had returned in the middle of the night, and another escaped on her own. By 7 a.m., after thorough checking, we confirmed that 25 students had been abducted,” he said.

“It was a painful realisation because these girls are our children, from our community, and their safety is our responsibility.”

Dantani said that security arrangements had been reinforced before the attack due to intelligence reports suggesting a possible raid. Police officers were stationed around the school, army troops were deployed nearby, and local vigilantes were mobilised. 

“Up until this incident, these measures had helped keep Maga safe,” he said.

However, the district head questioned the military’s actions during the raid. 

He said, “That is the biggest question and the most disturbing part of this incident. Around midnight, I called to confirm whether the soldiers were still at their post and was told they were. But unknown to us, they left the school around 1 a.m., just a short time before the attack began. We still don’t know who gave the order or why they withdrew.”

He added that the police on duty felt engaging the heavily armed bandits would have been suicidal. 

“While we understand their safety concern, the lack of resistance allowed the bandits to operate from around 1:30 a.m. until 3:30 a.m. without opposition,” he said.

Regarding the military’s response, Dantani said, “When the governor arrived after the incident, he was understandably furious. The army commandant present apologised on behalf of the military and acknowledged that the situation was mishandled. 

“The governor immediately directed that a high-powered investigative committee be set up. This committee includes the DSS, the police, the school principal, and other relevant authorities. Their mandate is to uncover the real reason behind the troop withdrawal and identify any possible negligence or compromise. As of now, we await the outcome of that investigation.”

On the rescue of the abducted students, Dantani said that security agencies had been operating in the forest since the incident. 

“From the information available to us, the bandits have not moved far; they remain within the initial bush routes around the Zamfara-Kebbi border. The military has been working to block their escape routes, especially from the Zamfara side. We remain hopeful and prayerful that the girls will be recovered soon,” he said. 

Dantani also called on the government to restore confidence in Maga’s security, saying, “My humble request is for the government to redeploy those APCs and reinforce the military presence around the border area. That is the only way to prevent future attacks and reassure our people that they are protected.”

He confirmed that communities are combining spiritual and security measures to overcome the crisis. 

“Yes, that is correct. Some communities have already begun their prayers. In Zuru, there is an officially organised special prayer session confirmed by the SA on security,” he said.

“Here in Maga, we will begin ours tomorrow. Our community relies on both spiritual and physical efforts. Prayer has been part of our strength for years, and combined with security action, we believe it will help us overcome this challenge.”

(Sahara Reporters)