By Jemimah Wellington, JKNewsMedia Correspondent
PRESIDENT BOLA Tinubu has postponed his scheduled trips to Johannesburg, South Africa, and Luanda, Angola, following the abduction of schoolgirls in Kebbi State and an armed attack on worshippers at Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Eruku, Kwara State.
A statement by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to the President, said Tinubu delayed his departure for the 20th G20 Summit in Johannesburg and the 7th AU-EU Summit in Luanda as he awaits detailed security briefings on the incidents.
In response to a request from Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, President Tinubu ordered the deployment of additional security personnel to Eruku and the entire Ekiti Local Government Area.
The police have been directed to pursue the bandits responsible for the church attack.
Vice President Kashim Shettima, acting on behalf of the President, visited Kebbi State to assess the situation, while reports from the Nigeria Police and the Department of State Services (DSS) are being awaited for both incidents.
On Monday, armed bandits raided Government Girls Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi, abducting 25 schoolgirls. Security agencies are working to rescue the pupils, with the Presidency directing that every possible effort be made to ensure their safe return.
Less than 48 hours after the Kebbi abduction, more than five armed men attacked the Christ Apostolic Church, Oke Isegun, Eruku, a boundary town with Kogi State in Ekiti LGA, Kwara.
The assailants ransacked the church and abducted worshippers, injuring three people, including a vigilante. The police, with the support of vigilante groups, intervened, forcing the bandits to flee into nearby bushes.
Police spokesperson Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi confirmed that operatives responded to “an attempted bandit attack in Eruku” and are continuing investigations.
President Tinubu reiterated that security agencies must leave no stone unturned in recovering the abducted schoolgirls and ensuring the safety of the community. No new dates have been announced for the postponed international engagements.
