President Bola Tinubu has asked the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, to relocate to Kebbi State over the abduction of 25 schoolgirls in the state.

Naijaonpoint reports that Tinubu made this known in a statement through his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

According to the statement, Matawalled was asked to remain in Kebbi state to monitor security efforts to secure the release of the abducted students.

The statement added, “Gunmen abducted 24 students of Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga town, Kebbi State, around 4 am 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.”

Meanwhile, Governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), under the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), have assured the Kebbi State Government and the families of the abducted students of Government Girls’ Secondary School, Maga, of their full support as rescue operations continue.

Naijaonpoint reports that the forum’s chairman and Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma, gave the assurance on Thursday, November 20, in Birnin Kebbi during a solidarity visit following Monday’s attack in Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area.

Uzodimma described the invasion as both “tragic and unacceptable,” noting that the visit was aimed at identifying with victims’ families and the state government

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