Kebbi Governor express outrage over DSS failure to act on intelligence

Kebbi State Governor, Mohammed Nasir Idris, expressed his outrage on Monday night over what he deemed a failure by the Department of State Services (DSS) to act on credible intelligence regarding a potential attack on the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, located in the Danko/Wasagu area.

In the early hours of Monday, armed assailants attacked the school, resulting in the death of the vice principal and the abduction of 25 female students, three of whom managed to escape.

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A high-ranking security official revealed to Reporters that upon arriving at the school around 6:45 PM, Governor Idris criticized unidentified security agencies for undermining his administration’s security initiatives.

“This is clearly sabotage. We received credible intelligence from the DSS indicating the school was at risk of an attack. The DSS urged us to hold an emergency Security Council meeting, which we did, and it was decided that we would ensure around-the-clock protection for the students,” the governor stated.

He noted the importance of the DSS report, recalling how similar intelligence had been disregarded before the December 2020 abduction of over 300 students in Kankara, Katsina State.

The governor expressed dismay that security personnel were deployed to protect the school but reportedly left just 30 minutes before the attack occurred.

Accompanied by state security chiefs, the governor announced the formation of a special investigation panel tasked with determining how the kidnappers succeeded despite the DSS alert and the state government’s precautions. This panel, led by the State DSS director, will also oversee efforts to ensure the safe return of the abducted students.

A teacher who escaped recounted to Reporters that, despite the presence of numerous armed security personnel who spent a significant amount of time with the students and conducted emergency drills, he was taken aback by the events that unfolded.

“The heavily-armed guards were at the school throughout the night, but for reasons not yet clear, they left before dawn. Approximately 30 minutes after their departure, the kidnappers attacked and took the students,” said the teacher.

He remarked that the credible intelligence from the DSS must have influenced the governor’s decision to appoint their director to lead the newly established committee.

“The good news is that there is strong reason to believe the girls were abducted rather than harmed. With the ongoing efforts from both the federal and state governments, we are hopeful for their safe rescue,” he added.