Kebbi State Governor Mohammed Nasir Idris expressed outrage Monday night over what he described as a failure by the Department of State Services (DSS) to act on credible intelligence warning that Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, in Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area, was at risk of attack.
In the early hours of Monday, suspected gunmen reportedly killed the vice principal and abducted 25 female students, though three managed to escape.
A senior security source told http://Pointblanknews.com that Governor Idris, who visited the school around 6.45pm, accused unnamed security agencies of undermining his administration’s protective measures.
“This is clear sabotage. We received credible intelligence from DSS indicating a likely attack on this school. DSS advised convening an emergency Security Council meeting, which we did. The council resolved to provide round-the-clock protection for the students,” the governor said.
Governor Idris emphasized that he treated the DSS report seriously, noting the December 2020 Kankara school abduction in Katsina State, which occurred due to similar intelligence being ignored.
He explained that security deployments were made, with heavily armed personnel engaging with students, taking photos, and conducting drills, but reportedly left the school 30 minutes before the attack.
Accompanied by state security chiefs, the governor announced the establishment of a special investigation panel to determine how kidnappers struck despite prior intelligence and government measures. The panel, headed by the State DSS director, will also oversee efforts to safely recover the abducted students.
One teacher who escaped told http://Pointblanknews.com that the early deployment of armed security gave them hope, making the attack even more shocking. “The security personnel spent the entire night at the school, instructing students and teachers on emergency procedures. For reasons yet unknown, they reportedly withdrew before dawn. Thirty minutes later, the attackers abducted the students,” the teacher said.
He added that the DSS intelligence likely influenced Governor Idris’s decision to appoint their director to lead the panel. “The positive aspect is that there is reason to believe the girls were kidnapped, not harmed. With ongoing federal and state efforts, we remain hopeful for their safe return,” the teacher concluded.
