President Bola Tinubu has ordered the Minister of State for Defence, Alhaji Bello Matawalle, to immediately relocate to Kebbi State to lead ongoing efforts to rescue students kidnapped from Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga.
The directive was announced in a State House statement issued by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who said Matawalle will remain in the state to coordinate security operations until the schoolgirls are found.
At least 24 students were abducted when gunmen stormed the school around 4 a.m. on Monday, sparking renewed alarm over the safety of schools in northern Nigeria, where armed groups continue to target educational institutions.
Matawalle—who previously served as governor of Zamfara State—has a track record of confronting banditry and kidnap-for-ransom networks.
In 2021, 279 students abducted from Government Girls Science Secondary School, Jangebe, were freed during his tenure.
The presidency also disclosed that President Tinubu has postponed his scheduled trips to Johannesburg, South Africa, and Luanda, Angola.
The decision follows fresh security briefings on both the Kebbi abductions and the deadly attack on worshippers at Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku, Kwara State.
Security agencies have ramped up search operations, while the federal government has restated its resolve to secure the release of the kidnapped schoolgirls.
