Kebbi LG chairman publishes names of kidnapped students, dismisses claim of Christian targeting
The head of Danko-Wasagu Local Government in Kebbi State, Hussaini Aliyu, has pushed back against comments made by U.S. congressman Riley Moore regarding the abduction of schoolgirls in the Maga community.
Moore had suggested online that the incident occurred in a predominantly Christian area.
Aliyu described the remark as inaccurate and harmful, saying that every student taken in the attack is Muslim.
According to him, the Maga community is part of the Zuru Emirate, a region he says has not recorded religious conflict making the lawmaker’s comments both misleading and unnecessary.
He urged international figures to avoid statements that could create religious tension, especially as security agencies continue working to free the girls.
The chairman also made public the names of the 25 schoolgirls taken during Monday’s assault, arranging them according to their class groups:
SS2A: Fatima Sani Zimri, Hafsat Ibrahim, Nana Firdausi Jibril, Masauda Yakubu Romo
SS2B: Hauwa Saleh, Hauwau Umar Imam
SS3A/SS3B: Salima Garba Umar, Salima Sani Zimri, Amina G. Umar, Rashida Muhammad Dingu, Saliha Umar, Aisha Usman, Jamila Iliyasu, Maryam Illiyasu, Najaatu Abdullahi, Zainab Kolo
JSS3A: Surraya Tukur, Hafsat Umar Yalmo, Maryam Usman, Amina Illiyasu, Ikilima Suleman
JSS2: Khadija Nazifi, Hauwa’u Iliyasu, Hauwa’u Lawali, Ummu Kulsum Abdulkarim.
Moore, in a message posted on X, asked for prayers for the victims and the vice principal who lost his life during the attack.
Although he admitted that details were still emerging, he claimed the incident took place in a Christian zone of northern Nigeria, a description that local officials say is completely incorrect.
The kidnapping happened early Monday and left Vice Principal Hassan Makuku dead after attempting to stop the gunmen.
Police have since deployed teams to search the surrounding forests in hopes of locating the students.
President Bola Tinubu condemned the assault and postponed his scheduled international engagements so he could receive updates on the Kebbi situation and other recent security incidents.
He also instructed Vice President Kashim Shettima to travel to Kebbi to meet affected families and state leaders.
