DHQ Grills Soldiers in Abuja as Nigeria Demands Answers Over Kebbi Schoolgirls’ Abduction

Nigeria is once again confronted with the painful reality of mass school abductions as all military personnel assigned to the Government Girls’ Comprehensive Senior Secondary School, Maga, in the Danko/Wasagu area of Kebbi State have been summoned and are currently being interrogated at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja. The move, which comes amid growing national outrage, is part of a sweeping effort by the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) to uncover the circumstances that led to the abduction of 26 schoolgirls in yet another grim episode of insecurity affecting the nation’s North-West. The incident has reignited public anxiety, drawn criticism from civil society groups, and intensified calls for systemic reform in the nation’s security architecture, especially concerning the protection of schools in vulnerable communities.

According to credible security sources, the soldiers deployed to guard the perimeter of the school were immediately relieved of their duties and flown to Abuja for a thorough interrogation. Their phones were seized, movement restricted, and each officer is reportedly undergoing separate questioning sessions as investigators attempt to determine whether negligence, internal sabotage, or operational lapses contributed to the attack. The DHQ’s decision to summon the entire team marks one of the most robust internal inquiries carried out in recent years following a school attack, and many say it signals the military’s acknowledgment of both public pressure and the seriousness of the situation.

The abduction, which occurred in the early hours of the morning, has left the Maga community devastated. According to residents, the attackers stormed the school in large numbers, overwhelming the security personnel on duty and whisking away the girls before reinforcements could arrive. Parents have remained inconsolable, with many staging vigils while others continue to camp around the school premises, desperately hoping for news about their daughters’ whereabouts. Emotional scenes of mothers holding up photographs of their missing children have once again highlighted the heartbreaking frequency of such tragedies in Northern Nigeria. For many, the abduction has brought back chilling memories of Chibok in 2014, Dapchi in 2018, and several others that have scarred the nation.

DHQ insiders say the investigation aims not only to determine what happened on the night of the attack but also to assess whether the soldiers adhered to standard operating procedures. The interrogations, which began shortly after the personnel arrived in Abuja, involve cross-examinations by a special military panel set up specifically for this case. The panel is said to be probing whether the troops received prior intelligence but failed to act, whether communication lines were functional, and whether the attackers exploited any loopholes in security planning. Early reports suggest investigators are treating the matter with zero tolerance for excuses, especially given the troubling pattern of similar attacks across the North-West.

Meanwhile, the Defence Headquarters has publicly assured Nigerians that no effort will be spared in rescuing the abducted girls. In a brief statement released to the press, DHQ officials described the abduction as “unacceptable” and emphasised that the perpetrators would be tracked and neutralised. While the statement offered few operational details, sources revealed that a joint rescue operation involving the army, police, and local vigilante groups has already begun combing through the expansive forests that stretch across Kebbi, Niger, and Zamfara states. The terrain, notorious for hosting over a dozen known bandit camps, presents a significant challenge, but security forces say they are determined to push through.

The Kebbi State Government has also stepped in, pledging full cooperation with federal authorities and promising support to affected families. Governor Nasir Idris, who visited the school after the incident, condemned the attack and called for unity and patience as the search efforts intensify. He described the abduction as “an assault on the soul of Kebbi State” and urged communities to remain vigilant while security operations escalate. Local leaders, however, have expressed frustration, noting that despite repeated warnings and numerous reports of bandit sightings around the Maga axis, adequate reinforcement never came. Many believe the incident could have been prevented with stronger intelligence coordination and a more proactive security presence.

Civil society organisations have also entered the conversation, with groups such as the Bring Back Our Girls Movement and several education advocacy NGOs renewing their demands for the full implementation of Nigeria’s Safe Schools Initiative. They argue that the recurring abductions are a direct consequence of poor funding, weak security strategies, and a failure to address the root causes of banditry, including poverty, arms trafficking, and the absence of strong local governance in remote communities. For them, the interrogation of the soldiers is only one piece of the puzzle; what Nigeria truly needs, they insist, is a complete overhaul of security protocols around schools.

The incident is already shaping national political conversations. Opposition figures have criticized the government for what they describe as persistent failure to secure school environments despite years of similar tragedies. Some lawmakers are calling for an emergency session to address the rising insecurity, while others are urging the president to declare full-scale military operations in affected states. Analysts warn that unless the government adopts a more aggressive and coordinated approach, the cycle of abductions will continue to destabilize communities and threaten access to education in rural Northern Nigeria.

For the families directly affected, however, politics means little at the moment. All they want is for their children to return home alive. Many of the parents who spoke to journalists lamented that they sent their daughters to school with hopes of giving them better futures, not knowing that classrooms had become targets for armed groups. Some are now considering withdrawing their remaining children from school altogether, a decision that education experts fear could worsen the already troubling rates of girl-child dropout in the region.

As the interrogation of the soldiers continues in Abuja, many Nigerians are watching closely, hoping the process will lead to accountability and not be swept under the rug as has been the case in several past incidents. The DHQ’s decisive action has been welcomed by some as a step in the right direction, but the true measure of its success will depend on what happens next: whether the abducted girls are rescued swiftly and alive, whether there is real punishment for any negligence uncovered, and whether the government finally takes concrete measures to prevent future attacks.

For now, the nation waits, once again gripped by fear, anger, and weary hope. The fate of the 26 Kebbi schoolgirls remains uncertain, but what is clear is that Nigeria is at a crossroads where decisive action—not rhetoric—is urgently needed to protect its children and restore faith in the country’s security institutions.