Tinubu Relocates Matawalle to Kebbi as Search for Abducted Schoolgirls Intensifies
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Minister of State for Defence, Alhaji Bello Matawalle, to immediately relocate to Kebbi State and coordinate ongoing security operations aimed at rescuing 24 schoolgirls abducted from Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, in Sakaba Local Government Area.
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed the information in a statement was issued on Thursday.
The abduction occurred in the early hours of Monday when armed gunmen stormed the school around 4 a.m., whisking away the students and triggering nationwide concern over the resurgence of school kidnappings in the North-West.
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According to the Presidency, Matawalle—who is expected to arrive in Birnin Kebbi on Friday—has been instructed to remain in the state and provide direct oversight as security agencies intensify efforts to secure the safe return of the students. The minister is believed to bring valuable experience from his tenure as Governor of Zamfara State between 2019 and 2023, a period during which the state witnessed several high-profile mass abductions by bandits.
One of the most notable incidents during his time as governor was the February 26, 2021 abduction of 279 female students from Government Girls Science Secondary School, Jangebe. The students, aged between 10 and 17, were released after several days in captivity on March 2, 2021.
Meanwhile, President Tinubu has postponed his planned diplomatic trips to Johannesburg, South Africa, and Luanda, Angola, as he awaits further security briefings on the Kebbi schoolgirls and the recent attack on worshippers at the Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku, Kwara State.
The Presidency said the President remains fully engaged with security chiefs and is closely monitoring developments.
By PRNigeria
