President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered a
comprehensive security cordon around forests in Kwara State following a surge
in kidnappings and terrorist activities in the region.
In addition to the ground operations, the President
has directed the Nigerian Air Force to intensify and extend its aerial
surveillance across the innermost parts of the forests, where armed groups are
believed to be hiding. The directive also covers the Kebbi and Niger States
axis, where several victims are still being held.
The President’s Special Adviser on Media and Public
Communications, Sunday Dare, revealed the directive on Tuesday via his X
handle. He noted that the President mandated uninterrupted 24-hour air
surveillance to reinforce ground troops operating in the affected areas.
Dare added that local communities must play an active
role by reporting unusual movements or suspicious activities to security
agencies promptly, in order to support ongoing rescue operations.
The President’s directive comes amid a wave of
coordinated abductions in the North-Central region. Terrorists recently
attacked St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Papiri, Niger
State, abducting over 300 students and staff in one of the largest school
kidnappings since the Chibok incident of 2014. Although at least 50 victims
have reportedly escaped, more than 265 remain captive.
In the same week, 25 schoolgirls were kidnapped from
Government Comprehensive Girls Secondary School, Maga, in Kebbi State, while 38
worshippers were abducted during a church service in Eruku, Kwara State.
Nigeria continues to grapple with widespread
insecurity driven by insurgent attacks and armed banditry. Despite efforts to
curb the violence, mass abductions remain a persistent threat. Notably, more
than 90 of the 276 Chibok schoolgirls abducted in 2014 are still missing over a
decade later.
President Tinubu reiterated his administration’s
resolve to deploy all necessary resources to protect citizens and prevent
further tragedies.
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