President Bola Tinubu has postponed his scheduled trip to South Africa for the G20 Leaders’ Summit as he awaits further security briefings from Vice President Kashim Shettima on the kidnapped Kebbi schoolgirls and the attack on Christ Apostolic Church worshippers in Eruku, Kwara State.
Tinubu also ordered the deployment of more 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,” a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, revealed on Wednesday.
The directive was “in response to the request by the governor of Kwara State,” Onanuga stated.
Officials close to the President said that Tinubu intends to receive first-hand reports on the situation in Kebbi, including the outcome of meetings with local leaders, before embarking on his trip.
Tinubu was scheduled to leave Abuja today to attend the 20th G20 Summit of leaders in South Africa and thereafter proceed to Luanda to attend the 7th AU-EU Summit.
“Disturbed by the security breaches in Kebbi State and Monday’s attack by bandits against worshippers at Christ Apostolic Church, Eruku, President Tinubu decided to suspend his departure.
“He now awaits reports 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,” Onanuga explained.
The President reiterated his directive 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 had directed Vice President Kashim Shettima to visit Kebbi State on Wednesday over the abduction of 25 students of Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, Kebbi State, and the killing of the school’s Vice-Principal.
The President, who had been briefed by the military authorities “expressed sadness over the abduction of the schoolgirls, despite intelligence warnings of a possible strike by the bandits.”
The PUNCH