A faith-based civil society organisation, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has raised alarm over the unexplained withdrawal of soldiers from Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, in Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State, shortly before bandits abducted 25 female students in November 2025.
In a statement issued on Saturday, January 24, 2026, MURIC queried the failure of the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) to publicly release the outcome of its investigation into the withdrawal of troops, more than two months after the incident.
The group’s Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, described the circumstances surrounding the abduction as troubling, noted that the Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, had earlier confirmed that security agencies received intelligence on a possible attack and assured the state government of adequate protection for the school.
According to the governor, soldiers were deployed to the school but withdrew at about 3:00 a.m., barely 45 minutes before bandits struck the facility.
MURIC expressed concern that the withdrawal occurred at an unusual hour and without replacement, describing it as a breach of basic security protocol. The organisation questioned who authorised the pullout and whether the action amounted to sabotage or gross dereliction of duty.
“Who issued the counter-command for the withdrawal of soldiers guarding the school?” the group asked, adding that even local security guards typically wait for relief personnel before abandoning a post.
While acknowledging reports that the soldiers involved were interrogated by DHQ, MURIC said it was disturbing that neither the military nor the Nigerian Senate, which also mandated a joint committee on security to probe the incident, has released any findings to the public.
The organisation noted that the Senate’s two-week deadline for its investigation has long elapsed without an official briefing, a development it described as “deeply unsettling.”
MURIC called on both DHQ and the National Assembly to demonstrate transparency by making their findings public, stressing that Nigeria’s insecurity crisis would persist unless acts of negligence, sabotage, or misconduct within the security architecture are punished.
“Nigerians want answers. Heads must roll for this reckless abandonment,” the group said, warning against what it described as the country’s tendency toward “mass amnesia” when critical national issues are left unresolved.
The Maga school abduction remained one of the most disturbing incidents in Kebbi State’s recent history, with public attention now focused on accountability for the security lapse that preceded the attack.
