Kebbi Gov Demands Answers Over Troops’ Withdrawal Before Schoolgirls’ Abduction

Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, has questioned the Nigerian military over the withdrawal of troops from the Government Girls’ Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, barely an hour before dozens of students were abducted in the Danko-Wasagu Local Government Area.

Speaking on Thursday while receiving the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, who led a solidarity delegation to the state, Idris said he was “deeply troubled” by reports that soldiers stationed at the school departed around 3 a.m., despite earlier intelligence warnings issued by the state government. The attackers reportedly struck less than 45 minutes after the troops left.

“We provided intelligence reports. We alerted them. So, who gave the order for troops to withdraw at that critical hour?” the governor asked, calling for a full-scale military investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Idris noted that the withdrawal contradicted previous assurances from security agencies promising strengthened protection for schools in high-risk border communities, which have frequently been targeted by armed bandits.

NLC President Joe Ajaero expressed solidarity with the state government and the families of the abducted students, urging federal security agencies to act swiftly to secure the girls’ release.