President Bola Tinubu says he is “depressed” by the killing of soldiers and the abduction of schoolgirls by gunmen
Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has postponed a planned trip to South Africa to attend the G20 summit, citing security breaches in his country, including a recent attack on a girls’ boarding school in Kebbi State.
On Monday, armed bandits stormed the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in the village of Maga, killing two staff members and abducting 25 students. One 15-year-old girl managed to escape and alert the authorities. Tinubu was set to leave Abuja on Wednesday for Johannesburg for the G20 leaders’ gathering this weekend and then continue to Angola for an African Union-EU summit.
“Disturbed by the security breaches in Kebbi State and Tuesday’s attack by bandits against worshippers at Christ Apostolic Church, Eruku, President Tinubu decided to suspend his departure,” spokesperson Bayo Onanuga said in a statement on Wednesday.
He added that Tinubu is waiting for reports on the attacks from his vice president and the police, but gave no indication on whether the president would attend the summit later.
In a separate incident in the town of Eruku in Kwara State, attackers opened fire on worshippers at the Christ Apostolic Church during a Tuesday evening service, killing at least two people and kidnapping others.
On Monday, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) militants also claimed that they captured and executed Nigerian Brigadier General Musa Uba of the 25 Task Force Brigade after a deadly ambush on a military convoy in Borno State last Friday. Four other security personnel were killed in the attack, the Nigerian Army reported.
In a statement on Wednesday, Tinubu said he is “depressed with the tragic death” of General Uba and the soldiers, and the disruption of the schoolgirls’ education by “heartless terrorists.”
He said he has directed the security agencies to “act swiftly” and rescue the 24 girls.
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