Abuja, Nigeria — The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), a faith-based civil society organisation, has raised serious concerns over the mysterious withdrawal of soldiers from Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State, shortly before 25 female students were abducted by bandits.
In a statement issued on Saturday, January 24, 2026, and signed by its Founder and Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, MURIC queried who authorised the withdrawal of troops deployed to secure the school despite prior intelligence warning of an imminent attack.
The group noted that the abduction, which occurred in the early hours of Monday, November 17, 2025, has continued to unsettle Nigerians, particularly following claims by Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, that security agencies had assured the state government of adequate protection at the school.
According to the governor, soldiers were initially deployed after intelligence reports indicated a possible attack, but were withdrawn around 3:00 a.m., barely 45 minutes before the bandits struck the school.
MURIC described the timing and manner of the withdrawal as deeply troubling, questioning why troops would abandon a sensitive guard duty at such an unusual hour without replacement. The organisation suggested that the withdrawal could point to either internal sabotage or a serious breach of military communication and protocol.
The group also expressed concern that although the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) reportedly interrogated the soldiers involved, no official findings have been made public more than two months after the incident. It described the silence from the military authorities as “unnerving.”
Similarly, MURIC criticised the Nigerian Senate for failing to brief the public on the outcome of its investigation, despite mandating a joint committee on security to probe the sudden withdrawal of troops and giving it a two-week ultimatum, which has since elapsed.
“Nigerians want to know why both DHQ and the Senate are yet to make their findings public,” the group said, stressing that transparency and accountability are critical to addressing Nigeria’s persistent insecurity.
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MURIC warned that terrorism and banditry would continue to thrive unless those guilty of sabotage or dereliction of duty are held accountable, insisting that “heads must roll” over what it described as a reckless abandonment of duty.
The organisation further lamented what it called Nigeria’s culture of “mass amnesia,” urging the public and authorities not to allow the incident to fade from national consciousness without justice being served.
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