The Defence Headquarters Abuja has opened a full-scale investigation into the sudden withdrawal of military personnel from the Government Girls’ Comprehensive Senior Secondary School, Maga, in the Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State, where 26 schoolgirls were abducted last week.

A top source revealed that all soldiers previously stationed at the school had been summoned to Abuja for interrogation as part of efforts to determine why the security post was vacated shortly before the attack.

A senior government official confirmed to PUNCH that the Kebbi authorities were waiting for clarity from Abuja, especially regarding who authorised the withdrawal.

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“The military personnel who were stationed at the school have been summoned to Abuja for interrogation. They were summoned by the Defence Headquarters on Monday. We are following the case,” he said.

The official added that the state government was monitoring the process closely.

“I don’t have all the details, but I learnt on Monday from colleagues in the army that the soldiers have reported to the headquarters. All the security heads are not happy with what happened in Kebbi and Niger. But the investigation is ongoing,” he said.

Another top military official, who was not authorised to speak publicly, also confirmed that the probe had been widened to cover all personnel attached to the school.

“The military hierarchy is investigating the matter, and everyone attached to the school will be asked one or two questions to determine what went wrong. Anyone found culpable will definitely be brought to book,” he said.

When reached, the Chief Press Secretary to the Kebbi State Governor, Ahmed Idris, said the state was not directly involved in the interrogation process.

He said, “The investigation is being handled by the Defence Headquarters, so we don’t know anything about it. However, we want to know the outcome, and we expect the military to take necessary action.”

Previously, SaharaReporters reported that Nasir Idris, the governor of Kebbi,  expressed alarm over what he described as the “withdrawal of military personnel” from the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, shortly before bandits stormed the facility and abducted several students.

The governor had said the situation was particularly disturbing because the state had earlier received intelligence warning of a possible attack and had immediately convened a security meeting to address the threat.

“As a responsive government, when we received intelligence on a possible attack, we summoned a security meeting,” NAN quoted the governor as saying.

“The security agencies assured us that all was well and that personnel would be mobilised to the school.

“The military was deployed, but they later withdrew by 3am, and by 3:45am, the incident happened.”

Idris also said the state had demanded a thorough inquiry into the circumstances that led to the withdrawal of troops.

“Who authorised the military to withdraw?” How did security personnel pull out at such a critical time? That is our concern. We have asked the military to investigate and identify who gave that order,” the governor had said.

The Maga District Head, Muhammad Dantani, also raised serious concerns over the role of the Nigerian military in the recent attack on Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Kebbi State, where armed bandits killed a staff member and abducted 25 students.

Dantani said that security arrangements had been reinforced before the attack due to intelligence reports suggesting a possible raid. Police officers were stationed around the school, army troops were deployed nearby, and local vigilantes were mobilised.

“Up until this incident, these measures had helped keep Maga safe,” he said.

However, the district head questioned the military’s actions during the raid.

He said, “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.”