Kebbi LG Chair Unveils Identities Of Abducted Schoolgirls To Counter US Lawmaker’s Claim

The chairman of Danko-Wasagu local government area of Kebbi State, Hussaini Aliyu, has dismissed claims by a United States lawmaker, Riley Moore, alleging that the Maga schoolgirls abducted last week were taken from a ‘Christian enclave’.

Aliyu described the assertions as false and potentially divisive, insisting that all the abducted students were Muslims. He warned against spreading unverified claims capable of heightening religious or ethnic tensions, especially as security agencies intensified efforts to rescue the girls.

The local government chairman stressed that the Zuru Emirate, under which the Maga community falls, has no history of religious crisis. To further counter the foreign lawmaker’s claims, he released the names of the 25 abducted students.

SS2A:

1. Fatima Sani Zimri

2. Hafsat Ibrahim

3. Nana Firdausi Jibril

4. Masauda Yakubu Romo

SS2B:
5. Hauwa Saleh
6. Hauwau Umar Imam

SS3A & SS3B:
7. Salima Garba Umar
8. Salima Sani Zimri
9. Amina G. Umar
10. Rashida Muhammad Dingu
11. Saliha Umar
12. Aisha Usman
13. Jamila Iliyasu
14. Maryam Illiyasu
15. Najaatu Abdullahi
16. Zainab Kolo

JSS3A:
17. Surraya Tukur
18. Hafsat Umar Yalmo
19. Maryam Usman
20. Amina Illiyasu
21. Ikilima Suleman

JSS2:
22. Khadija Nazifi
23. Hauwa’u Iliyasu
24. Hauwa’u Lawali
25. Ummum Umm

Aliyu added that the school’s Vice Principal, Malam Hassan Makuku, was killed while attempting to stop the bandits from abducting the students.

Police authorities said a combined tactical team has since been deployed to comb the forest and ensure the safe rescue of the girls.

President Bola Tinubu, who strongly condemned the attack, has postponed his scheduled trips to Johannesburg, South Africa, and Luanda, Angola, where he was expected to attend the G20 Summit and the AU-EU Summit, respectively. He has directed Vice President Kashim Shettima to visit Kebbi State and commiserate with affected families on his behalf on Wednesday.