The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, said the Nigerian Army is interrogating the soldiers who reportedly withdrew from their duty posts before Monday’s abduction of 25 schoolgirls at the Government Comprehensive Girls Secondary School, Maga, Danko Wasagu Local Government Area in Kebbi State.
Mr Matawalle arrived in Birnin Kebbi on Friday on the directives of President Bola Tinubu to help secure the release of the abducted schoolgirls.
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“The military didn’t order their withdrawal; military authorities are investigating the incident,” the minister said. “I am confirming to you that soldiers who reportedly withdrew from the school before the attack are in military custody. If they are found wanting, they will face the military court martial,” Mr Matawalle said.
Earlier, Governor Nasir Idris had demanded explanations from military authorities over the alleged withdrawal of troops from the school.
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Mr Idris said the troops withdrew from the school about 45 minutes before the arrival of the bandits, despite prior intelligence provided by the State government, describing the scenario as a clear case of sabotage.
“As a responsive government, when we received intelligence on a possible attack, we summoned a security meeting. 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 3 a.m., and by 3:45 am, the incident happened,” Mr Idris said.
Mr Idris l demanded an inquiry into the circumstances that led to the withdrawal of the troops.
“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,” Mr Idris queried.
Notwithstanding, the governor said both the state and federal governments were working to secure the release of the abducted schoolgirls.
“Our duty as leaders is to ensure that our daughters return home safely, and we are doing everything possible to achieve that,” he said.
“We thank President Bola Tinubu for directing Vice-President Kashim Shettima to visit us, and for ensuring that the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, has relocated to Kebbi State.”
He said clerics had also been instructed to intensify prayers for the safe return of the victims and for lasting peace in the state.
“What is happening in this country shows that enemies are working against this government,” Mr Idris said.
Corroborating the governor’s claim, a teacher who survived the attack told reporters that heavily armed security personnel had spent Sunday night at the school, interacting and taking photographs with students.
“Sadly, for yet-to-be-determined reasons, they reportedly left the school before dawn,” the teacher narrated. “About 30 minutes after they withdrew, the kidnappers struck.”
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Governor Idris has since constituted a special investigation panel, to be chaired by the State Director of the SSS, to probe the security failure and coordinate rescue efforts.
Mass abductions of school children in the North-west region, plagued by insecurity, are common. Kebbi is among the states affected by the activities of terrorists and the kidnapping of school children.
In June 2021, 11 students were abducted from the Federal Government College, Yauri, in the state by a terrorism kingpin, Dogo Gide, who released the students in batches after collecting ransom.
No group has claimed responsibility for the latest abduction, and no demand for ransom has been reported.
