President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle to immediately relocate to Kebbi State in response to the abduction of 24 schoolgirls.
The President’s directive underscores the Nigerian Government’s resolve to ensure the swift rescue of the students of Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School and also strengthen security coordination in the region.
A statement signed by the Presidential Spokesperson, Mr Bayo Onanuga, on Thursday disclosed that “the President instructed Matawalle, a former governor of Zamfara State to remain in Kebbi State to oversee ongoing security operations and ensure sustained efforts toward the safe release of the abducted students.”
Gunmen abducted 24 students of Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga town, Kebbi State, around 4 am, local time on Monday.
Matawalle, who is expected to arrive in Birni-Kebbi on Friday, gained some experience in dealing with banditry and mass kidnapping during his tenure as governor of Zamfara State from 2019 to 2023.
On 26 February 2021, armed bandits abducted 279 female students aged between 10 and 17 at the Government Girls Science Secondary School, a boarding school in Jangebe, in Zamfara State. The bandits released all the hostages on 2 March 2021.
President Tinubu had postponed his scheduled trip to Johannesburg, South Africa, and Luanda, Angola, as he awaited further security briefings on the kidnapped Kebbi schoolgirls and the attack on Christ Apostolic Church worshippers in Eruku, Kwara State.