President Bola Tinubu has suspended his planned departure to Johannesburg and Luanda for the G20 Summit and the AU–EU Summit, opting to remain in Abuja for further security briefings on two major national tragedies.
The tragedies are the abduction of schoolgirls in Kebbi State and the deadly bandit attack on Christian worshippers in Eruku, Kwara State.
The President, according to a statement issued on Wednesday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, took the decision after receiving urgent reports from security agencies and an appeal from Kwara State Governor for immediate reinforcement.
In a decisive move, President Tinubu ordered the deployment of additional security personnel to Eruku and the entire Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State.
He also directed the police to launch a full-scale operation to track down the bandits responsible for attacking members of the Christ Apostolic Church.
The statement revealed that the President was set to leave Abuja for South Africa on Wednesday to attend the 20th G20 Summit of Leaders, before proceeding to Angola for the 7th AU–EU Summit.
However, the escalating security situation compelled him to “suspend his departure.”
Tinubu is also awaiting updates from Vice President Kashim Shettima, who visited Kebbi State on Wednesday to commiserate with families of the kidnapped schoolgirls and to assess on-the-ground operations.
The President reaffirmed his directive to security agencies, insisting that everything possible must be done to rescue the 24 abducted schoolgirls and ensure their safe return.
He emphasised that the attacks in both Kwara and Kebbi represent an intolerable assault on innocent citizens, adding that government will not relent until the perpetrators are captured and prosecuted.
The statement added: “President Tinubu reiterates his directive to the security agencies to do everything possible to rescue the 24 schoolgirls abducted by the bandits and bring the girls back home, safe.”
