Kebbi LG Chair Rejects US Lawmaker’s Christian Claim, Names Kidnapped Schoolgirls

The Chairman of Danko-Wasagu Local Government Area in Kebbi State, Hussaini Aliyu, has rejected a claim by United States lawmaker Riley Moore alleging that the schoolgirls abducted in Maga were taken from a Christian community.

Speaking on Wednesday, Aliyu said Moore’s comments were not only false but capable of inflaming religious and ethnic tensions at a sensitive time when all efforts are focused on rescuing the girls. According to him, all the abducted students are Muslims, and the Zuru Emirate under which Maga falls has never experienced any form of religious conflict.

As reported by Channels TV, Aliyu questioned the motive behind Moore’s remarks, warning against misleading statements that portray Nigeria in a negative light. He emphasised that the local authorities and security agencies are working tirelessly to safely recover the victims.

Aliyu released the names of the abducted students as follows:

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. Hauwau 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 2

22. Khadija Nazifi

23. Hauwa’u Iliyasu

24. Hauwa’u Lawali

25. Ummu Kulsum Abdulkarim

Riley Moore had earlier taken to social media urging prayers for the victims, asserting – without confirmation – that the attack took place in a “Christian enclave” in northern Nigeria. “While we don’t have all the details… we know that the attack occurred in a Christian enclave,” he wrote, prompting swift pushback from local authorities.

The attack on the school on Monday morning led to the killing of the Vice Principal, Malam Hassan Makuku, who died while attempting to stop the gunmen. One of the abducted girls has since escaped, while security agencies say a combined tactical team has been deployed to comb nearby forests.

President Bola Tinubu condemned the attack and postponed his scheduled trips to Johannesburg and Luanda to receive security briefings. He also dispatched Vice President Kashim Shettima to Kebbi State to meet with affected families and local authorities.

Security operations remain ongoing as the government continues efforts to secure the safe return of the remaining schoolgirls.