The Chairman of Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area in Kebbi State, Hussaini Aliyu, has published the names of the 25 schoolgirls abducted from Government Secondary School, Maga, and dismissed claims that the victims are Christians.
Armed men invaded the school on Monday, killing a teacher and abducting at least 25 students. One of the girls later escaped, while security agencies have deployed a joint tactical team to comb the surrounding forests in search of the others.
The incident sparked widespread outrage, with many Nigerians demanding urgent rescue efforts and stronger security across the North. However, attention shifted internationally after U.S. congressman Riley Moore described the affected community as a “Christian enclave.”
Moore had written on X that the abduction occurred in a Christian area in northern Nigeria, urging global prayers for the victims and calling for stronger action against violence in the region.
Reacting, LG Chairman Hussaini Aliyu dismissed the claim as false. He said all the abducted girls are Muslims and warned that such comments could inflame unnecessary religious tension at a sensitive time. He added that the Zuru Emirate, where Maga is located, has a long-standing record of peaceful coexistence without religious conflict.
Aliyu urged foreign officials to avoid making unverified statements that misrepresent Nigeria or undermine efforts to rescue the girls.
Full list of the 25 abducted schoolgirls in Kebbi State
Senior Secondary School 2A
1. Fatima Sani Zimri
2. Hafsat Ibrahim
3. Nana Firdausi Jibril
4. Masauda Yakubu Romo
Senior Secondary School 2B
5. Hauwa Saleh
6. Hauwa’u Umar Imam
Senior Secondary School 3A & 3B
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
Junior Secondary School 3A
17. Surraya Tukur
18. Hafsat Umar Yalmo
19. Maryam Usman
20. Amina Illiyasu
21. Ikilima Suleman
Junior Secondary School
22. Khadija Nazifi
23. Hauwa’u Iliyasu
24. Hauwa’u Lawali
25. Ummu Kulsum Abdulkarim
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who condemned the attack and sympathised with affected families, has postponed his scheduled trips to South Africa and Angola. He directed Vice President Kashim Shettima to visit Kebbi State and meet with the families.
Many communities in the North continue to demand stronger protection as kidnappings targeting schools persist despite repeated military deployments and government interventions.
