A US lawmaker, Riley Moore, has condemned the abduction of 25 schoolgirls from Government Secondary School, Maga, in Kebbi State, Nigeria, and the killing of their vice principal.
In a post on X on Tuesday, Moore called for prayers for the victims, saying, “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”.
Moore also urged the Nigerian government to take decisive action against the perpetrators, stating, “The Nigerian government must do more to end the rampant violence.”
However, his claim that the attack occurred in a “Christian enclave in Northern Nigeria” has sparked controversy, with Bashir Ahmad, a former aide to late President Muhammadu Buhari, correcting him that the attack actually took place in a Muslim community and the victims were Muslims.
Ahmad expressed concern that such misrepresentations could exacerbate existing tensions in Nigeria, saying, “This is precisely why we keep saying that even you, Americans, either do not understand the complexity of Nigeria’s insecurity challenges, or you are deliberately pushing unholy narratives that risk worsening our already fragile unity.”
The incident has reignited debates between Nigerian and US officials over allegations of “Christian genocide” in parts of the country, a claim Nigerian authorities have consistently denied.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has said that it is working to secure the safe return of the abducted students, sharing in the pain of the victims and their families.
Security forces, including police and military units, have been deployed to search for the girls.
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