The Chairman of Danko-Wasagu Local Government Area in Kebbi State, Hussaini Aliyu, has dismissed assertions made by U.S. lawmaker Riley Moore regarding the recent abduction of students from Government Girls Secondary School in Maga.
Moore had suggested that the kidnapped girls were taken from a Christian community—a claim Aliyu strongly rejected.
Aliyu described the allegation as “false, misleading, and capable of inflaming unnecessary religious tensions,” emphasizing that all the abducted girls are Muslim.
He urged the American lawmaker to avoid making statements that cannot be verified, warning that such claims could exacerbate ethnic or religious divisions in Nigeria.
“The focus must remain on ensuring the safe return of the students rather than spreading narratives that distort the truth,” Aliyu said. He also highlighted that Maga falls under the Zuru Emirate, a community that has historically experienced peaceful coexistence without any record of religious or sectarian conflict.
In a bid to provide clarity, Aliyu released the full list of the abducted girls:
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
Meanwhile, Riley Moore had posted on 𝕏, asserting that the attack occurred in a Christian enclave in Northern Nigeria, despite acknowledging a lack of detailed information about the incident.
He wrote: “Please join me in praying for the 25 girls who have been kidnapped and for the repose of the soul of their vice principal who was killed. While we don’t have all the details on this horrific attack, we know that the attack occurred in a Christian enclave in Northern Nigeria. The Nigerian government must do more to end the rampant violence.”
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Aliyu’s response seeks to set the record straight, underscoring the importance of focusing on the rescue of the abducted students rather than promoting narratives that misrepresent the situation or stir religious discord.
