President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed Alhaji Bello Matawalle, the Minister of State for Defence, to relocate to Kebbi State to oversee efforts to secure the release of the 24 schoolgirls abducted from a boarding school in the state.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the presidency said, “President Bola Tinubu has asked the Minister of State for Defence, Alhaji Bello Matawalle, to relocate to Kebbi State over the abduction of 24 schoolgirls in the state.”
Okay News reports that the move is intended to provide hands-on coordination of security operations on the ground.
The statement added that “Matawalle, who was formerly governor of Zamfara State, was asked to remain in the state to monitor security efforts to secure the release of the abducted students.” Matawalle is expected to arrive in Birnin Kebbi on Friday to begin his assignment, the statement said.
The abductions occurred at Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, where gunmen attacked the boarding school in the early hours of Monday. The presidency’s release recalled Matawalle’s experience with large-scale kidnappings while he governed Zamfara State, noting that “Matawalle, who is expected to arrive in Birni-Kebbi on Friday, gained some experience in dealing with banditry and mass kidnapping during his tenure as governor of Zamfara State from 2019 to 2023.”
The State House also referenced the mass abduction in Jangebe in 2021 as background to the decision to deploy Matawalle. “On 26 February 2021, armed bandits abducted 279 female students aged between 10 and 17 at the Government Girls Science Secondary School, a boarding school in Jangebe, in Zamfara State. The bandits released all the hostages on 2 March 2021.”
President Tinubu has adjusted his travel plans to remain available for security briefings.
The government said, “President Tinubu had postponed his scheduled trip to Johannesburg, South Africa, and Luanda, Angola, as he awaited further security briefings on the kidnapped Kebbi schoolgirls and the attack on Christ Apostolic Church worshippers in Eruku, Kwara State.”
The presidency said Matawalle will remain in Kebbi to coordinate with military and security agencies until the safe recovery of the students.
