Kebbi LG Chairman Refutes US Lawmaker’s Claim, Confirms All 25 Abducted Schoolgirls Are Muslims

The chairman of Danko-Wasagu Local Government Area in Kebbi State has firmly dismissed claims by US lawmaker Riley Moore that the recent mass abduction of schoolgirls took place in a Christian community. To set the record straight, Chairman Hussaini Aliyu released the full list of all 25 abducted students, confirming that every one of them is Muslim.

Aliyu warned that such misinformation could inflame religious tensions at a sensitive time, stressing that authorities are focused on rescuing the girls kidnapped from their school in Maga community on Monday.

“All the abducted schoolgirls are Muslims,” he stated. He urged the US lawmaker to “desist from making unverifiable statements capable of dividing the nation along religious or ethnic lines.”

Countering Misinformation With Evidence

Aliyu emphasized that Maga community belongs to the Zuru Emirate, an area without a history of religious conflict. He questioned why Moore chose to comment publicly without verifying simple facts, saying such statements cast Nigeria in a negative light and complicate security operations.

To provide clarity, he released the names of the 25 abducted students:

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

US Lawmaker’s Controversial Statement

Riley Moore had posted on X, urging prayers for the abducted girls and claiming the attack happened “in a Christian enclave in Northern Nigeria.” He acknowledged he did not have full details, yet made assertions that local authorities say are false.

His post followed the killing of the school’s Vice Principal, Malam Hassan Makuku, who died while trying to stop the attackers.

Federal and Local Response

Police have deployed a combined tactical team to comb surrounding forests for the missing students.

President Bola Tinubu condemned the attack and postponed his planned trips to South Africa and Angola for the G20 and AU–EU summits so he could focus on the crisis. He directed Vice President Kashim Shettima to travel to Kebbi and meet with the affected families.

Local authorities stressed that accuracy is critical during rescue operations and called on international figures to verify information before making public statements that could worsen tensions or complicate rescue efforts.