THIS DAWN — President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has postponed his scheduled diplomatic visits to Johannesburg, South Africa, and Luanda, Angola over a new wave of terrorism across the country.
According to a press release issued by the Presidency on Wednesday, this will enable the president to receive further security briefings following two major terror incidents that shook the nation.
The incidents include the kidnapping of schoolgirls in Kebbi State and the deadly attack on worshippers at Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku, Kwara State.
The President was expected to depart Abuja on Tuesday for the 20th G20 Leaders’ Summit in South Africa.
He was meant to, subsequently, attend the 7th AU-EU Summit in Angola.
However, senior presidency officials confirmed that Tinubu opted to remain in the country to coordinate the national security response as concerns mount over a fresh wave of violent extremism.
President Tinubu has also directed the immediate deployment of additional military and police personnel to Eruku and the wider Ekiti Local Government Area.
The directive followed an urgent request from Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.
Security agencies have also been ordered to launch a coordinated operation to track, pursue, and neutralize the armed bandits responsible for the church attack.
New wave of terror attacks
The attack on the Christ Apostolic Church came just days after terrorists abducted 25 female students from the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State.
The terrorists also killed the school’s vice principal, according to data obtained by THIS DAWN.
The incidents have intensified public anxiety and renewed pressure on the federal government to take tougher action against insurgents and criminal networks operating across the North-West and North-Central regions.
Reacting to the tragedies, President Tinubu expressed profound grief over the loss of military officers and the continued targeting of schoolchildren by terrorists.
“As the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, I am depressed with the tragic death of our soldiers and officers on active duty.
“May God comfort the families of Brigadier General Musa Uba and other fallen heroes,” he said.
He further condemned the disruption of education in northern communities, describing the abductions as a cruel assault on Nigeria’s future.
“I am also depressed that heartless terrorists have disrupted the education of innocent schoolgirls.
“I have directed the security agencies to act swiftly and bring the girls back to Kebbi State.”
Tinubu vowed that the federal government would respond decisively to acts of terrorism in the country.
He stressed that those who threaten the safety of Nigerians will face the full weight of the state.
He reiterated his administration’s commitment to restoring peace nationwide and ensuring that both civilians and frontline troops receive adequate protection.
