President Tinubu Takes Action on Kebbi School Abduction
President Bola Tinubu has issued a direct order to the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, instructing him to immediately relocate to Kebbi State. This decisive move comes in response to the abduction of 25 schoolgirls from the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga town.
The minister, a former governor of Zamfara State, has been directed to remain in the state and personally monitor all security efforts aimed at securing the safe release of the students. This incident has triggered a significant national security response, highlighting the ongoing challenge of banditry in the region.
Timeline of the Abduction and Response
The tragic event unfolded in the early hours of Monday, when armed gunmen stormed the school premises around 4 am. They seized 24 students, creating panic and anguish in the community.
In a related development, President Tinubu has postponed his scheduled international trips to Johannesburg, South Africa, and Luanda, Angola. The President is awaiting further security briefings not only on the kidnapped Kebbi schoolgirls but also concerning an attack on worshippers at the Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku, Kwara State.
Minister Matawalle is expected to arrive in Birni-Kebbi, the state capital, on Friday. His experience in handling similar crises is considered crucial. During his tenure as Governor of Zamfara State from 2019 to 2023, he dealt with severe banditry, including the mass kidnapping of 279 female students from the Government Girls Science Secondary School in Jangebe on February 26, 2021. Those hostages were eventually released on March 2, 2021.
National Security Implications
The federal government's response underscores the seriousness with which it is treating this security breach. The relocation of a senior minister to the epicentre of the crisis is a clear signal of the administration's commitment to resolving the situation.
This incident has once again brought the issue of school safety and banditry in northern Nigeria to the forefront of national discourse. The nation now watches and hopes for the swift and safe return of the abducted girls to their families.
