Muhammad Dantani, the District Head of Maga in Danko/Wasagu LGA of Kebbi State, recounts to ANIMASAHUN SALMAN the attack on Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, a brazen raid in which bandits killed a staff member and abducted 25 students

How would you describe what happened during the attack on the school?

The situation was extremely distressing and heartbreaking for the entire Maga community. In the early hours of that day, bandits stormed Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, in a coordinated and ruthless manner. They killed one staff member, Malam Hassan Makuku, a deeply 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.

Although they did not abduct all the girls, they succeeded in taking several of them. It was an attack that shook the entire Zuru Emirate, as our town had previously enjoyed relative stability due to prior security measures.

How did you personally receive the information about the attack?

At about 4:30 a.m., I received a call from the school principal. As the district head of Maga, I called back immediately and was shocked to learn that armed bandits had entered the school. Because of the urgency, we quickly mobilised to the school to assess the level of damage, determine casualties, and account for the students.

After you arrived at the school, how many students were eventually confirmed abducted?

When we arrived, we gathered the remaining students and conducted a headcount using the school register. 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. It was a painful realisation because these girls are our children, from our community, and their safety is our responsibility.

Before the attack, were there any security arrangements in place around the school?

Yes, there were. In fact, security arrangements had been reinforced recently due to intelligence reports suggesting a possible attack. Based on this intelligence, the governor took proactive steps.

He Instructed that police officers be stationed around the school, and army troops located about a kilometre away move closer to secure the premises.

The governor insisted on evidence that the deployment was completed, and the army officer in charge even sent a photograph taken with the students as proof of their presence. This reassured both the governor and the local authorities that the school was properly secured.

Additionally, we mobilised local vigilantes familiar with the terrain, who work closely with security agencies. Up until this incident, these measures had helped keep Maga safe.

If soldiers were deployed, how did the bandits manage to carry out the attack?

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.

When the bandits arrived, the police officers said they took cover because the attackers were far too numerous and opening fire would have meant certain death. The number of bandits and their level of firepower were overwhelming.

With the army absent, the police felt engaging the bandits would be 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.

Has there been any explanation from the military regarding the withdrawal of their personnel?

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.

Since the incident, has there been any progress in efforts to rescue the abducted students?

Yes, there has been a lot of activity. Since the day of the incident, all security agencies, particularly the military, have been operating inside the forest, conducting search-and-rescue operations. 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.

The vigilantes that were initially deployed, were they overpowered during the attack?

The vigilantes were not fully engaged during the attack itself. The police officers on duty explained that once they saw the large number of attackers, they took cover to avoid being overwhelmed.

Vigilantes usually support the police and military, but in this case, the sudden and massive nature of the attack, combined with the absence of the army, created a situation where responding directly could have led to mass casualties.

Are there any bandit camps within the Zuru Emirate or near Maga?

There is not a single bandit camp within the Zuru Emirate. The Emirate covers four large LGAs: Fakai, Danko-Wasagu, Sakaba, and Zuru. Every part of these communities is supervised by village and ward heads. If there were any camps, we would know.

The challenge Is our boundary with Zamfara State. The river separating us, River Ka, marks the border. Bandits often come from Zamfara into Kebbi to carry out attacks. They face resistance here, but once they return to Zamfara, it becomes difficult to pursue them because they have hideouts and logistical support in those forests. Even now, I understand that the army in Zamfara is intensifying pressure on them.

What is your message to both the state and federal governments regarding security?

My appeal is simple: restore the security confidence we once had in Maga. We used to have armoured personnel carriers stationed here as a deterrent.

Those APCs played a major role in keeping the town safe. Bandits used to joke that anyone brave enough to attack Maga would fail. But the APCs were removed for reasons unknown. We have been reporting this for a long time, especially because our town sits right at the Zamfara border.

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.

We understand special prayers are being organised. Can you confirm this?

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. 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. (Sunday PUNCH)