President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, to immediately relocate to Kebbi State to coordinate security operations following the abduction of 24 schoolgirls in the state.
Gunmen had stormed the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, in Sakaba Local Government Area, around 4am on Monday, taking away 24 students. One additional student was later confirmed missing.
The directive was contained in a statement issued on Thursday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, titled “President Tinubu asks Matawalle, Minister of State for Defence, to move to Kebbi over schoolgirls’ abduction.”
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Tinubu ordered the minister to remain in the state and oversee the rescue mission until the girls are safely reunited with their families.
According to the statement, “President Bola Tinubu has asked the Minister of State for Defence, Alhaji Bello Matawalle, to relocate to Kebbi State over the abduction of 24 schoolgirls in the state. Matawalle… was asked to remain in the state to monitor security efforts to secure the release of the abducted students.”
The Presidency noted that Matawalle, a former governor of Zamfara State, has extensive experience dealing with banditry and mass kidnappings during his tenure from 2019 to 2023. It recalled the February 26, 2021 abduction of 279 female students of Government Girls Science Secondary School, Jangebe, Zamfara State, and their eventual release on March 2, 2021.
Meanwhile, Tinubu on Wednesday postponed his scheduled visits to Johannesburg, South Africa, and Luanda, Angola.
