The Chairman of Danko-Wasagu Local Government Area, Hussaini Aliyu, has refuted a claim by United States lawmaker, Riley Moore, suggesting that the schoolgirls abducted in the recent Maga attack were taken from a Christian community.
According to Channels TV, Aliyu clarified on Wednesday that all the abducted students are Muslims, urging the US congressman to avoid spreading unverified information capable of inciting religious or ethnic tensions, especially as authorities intensify efforts to rescue the victims.
He stressed that the Zuru Emirate, where Maga community is located, has no history of religious conflict and questioned why such misleading comments were made about Nigeria.
To further dispel the claim, Aliyu released the names of the kidnapped 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
SSS 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
Aliyu’s response followed a post by Riley Moore urging prayers for the abducted girls and stating—without confirmation—that the attack occurred in a “Christian enclave” in northern Nigeria.
Moore had written:
“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.”
The Monday morning attack at Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School, Maga, led to the killing of the Vice Principal, Malam Hassan Makuku, who reportedly tried to protect the students.
One of the abducted girls is said to have escaped, while a combined security team has been deployed to search the surrounding forests.
President Bola Tinubu condemned the incident, postponed his planned trips to South Africa and Angola, and ordered Vice President Kashim Shettima to visit Kebbi State to meet with affected families.
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