President Bola Tinubu has put his planned trip to South Africa on hold as he awaits fresh security reports on the abduction of Kebbi schoolgirls and the attack on worshippers in Eruku, Kwara State.
His Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, announced the decision in a statement issued on Wednesday, November 19.
He said Tinubu also ordered the deployment of additional security personnel “to Eruku and the entire Ekiti Local Government Area of the state, and directed the police to go after the bandits who attacked worshippers.”
According to Onanuga, the move was “in response to the request by the governor of Kwara State.”
Tinubu had been scheduled to depart Abuja today, Wednesday, November 19, for the 20th G20 Leaders’ Summit in South Africa before heading to Luanda for the 7th AU-EU Summit.
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However, Onanuga explained that the President suspended the trip after becoming “disturbed by the security breaches in Kebbi State and Monday’s attack by bandits against worshippers at Christ Apostolic Church, Eruku.”
He added that Tinubu now awaits updated briefings “from Vice President Kashim Shettima, who paid a sympathy visit to Kebbi on his behalf, as well as reports from the police and the Department of State Services regarding the attack in Kwara.”
The statement also noted the President’s renewed instruction to the security agencies to “do everything possible to rescue the 24 schoolgirls, abducted by the bandits and bring the girls back home, safe.”
On Tuesday night, Tinubu directed Vice President Shettima to visit Kebbi State over the abduction of 25 students of Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, and the killing of the school’s Vice Principal.
The incident, which occurred early Monday, threw the Zuru Emirate into shock after armed bandits stormed the school, killed the vice principal, Hassan Makuku, and abducted at least 25 students.