`let me be cdear:I will not relent. Every Nigerian, in every state, has the right to safety and under my watch, we will secure this nation and protect our people – Tinubu
By Uche Onyeali, Paul Effiong, Abuja and Abdul Salaudeen, Ilorin
President Bola Tinubu has announced the rescue of all 38 worshippers recently abducted from the Christ Apostolic Church, CAC, Eruku, Ekiti Local Government Area, Kwara State.
In a post on his verified X handle, Tinubu said the breakthrough followed days of coordinated operations by security agencies, which he personally supervised after cancelling his planned trip to the G20 Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa.
He also confirmed that 51 missing students of a Catholic school in Niger State had been recovered.
”You will recall that I cancelled my trip to the G20 Summit in South Africa to enable me coordinate the security efforts at home.
”Thanks to the efforts of our security forces over the last few days, all the 38 worshippers abducted in Eruku, Kwara State have been rescued.
”I am equally happy that 51 out of the missing students of the Catholic School in Niger State have been recovered.
The President assured that he was closely monitoring the security situation across the country with a view to ensuring adequate security for all.
”I am closely monitoring the security situation nationwide and receiving continuous updates from the frontline.
”Let me be clear: I will not relent. Every Nigerian, in every state, has the right to safety and under my watch, we will secure this nation and protect our people”, the president wrote on his X handle.
In his reaction Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman Abdulrazaq commended security agencies for their efforts saying “This is wholly due to the hands-on approach of President Bola Tinubu, GCFR, who has personally led the efforts to free the abductees”.
This is contained in a statement issued yesterday by Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Rafiu Ajakaye.
“The abductees were freed today, November 23. The Governor is immensely grateful to President Bola Tinubu, GCFR, for his direct initiative that made this happen”, the statement quoted Abdulrazaq as saying.
The Governor also expresses appreciation to the Office of the National Security Adviser; the Department of State Services, DSS; the Nigerian Army; Nigeria Intelligence Agency; and, of course, the Nigeria Police, which has graciously deployed four new tactical teams to Kwara State on the directive of the President.
Furthermore, he thanked members of the security forces across board, thought leaders, religious institutions, and all Kwarans for their support and goodwill since the unfortunate incident.
Meanwhile, 50 Out of 300 dtudents abducted from Niger school escaped from captivity
Fifty out of the 303 schoolchildren abducted from State Mary’s Catholic School in Agwara Local Government Area of
Niger State have escaped from their abductors and and reunited with their families.
The school authority disclosed this in a statement yesterday.
According to a statement by the state chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Most Rev. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, the schoolchildren, aged between 10 and 18, escaped individually between Friday and Saturday.
The statement, however, said a total of 253 schoolchildren and 12 teachers are still held by the kidnappers.
“We were able to ascertain this when we decided to contact and visit some parents”, Rev. Yohanna said.
The pupils and students were whisked away alongside some teachers by gunmen who attacked the school on Friday.
No group has yet claimed responsibility for the abductions and authorities have said tactical squads had been deployed alongside local hunters to rescue the children.
It was not immediately clear where the children were being held or how they managed to return home.
“As much as we receive the return of these 50 children that escaped with some sigh of relief, I urge you all to continue in your prayers for the rescue and safe return of the remaining victims”, Yohanna said.
The Niger attack happened four days after 25 schoolchildren were abducted in similar circumstances in Maga town of Kebbi State, which is 170 kilometers (106 miles) away from Niger.
Bandits last Monday attacked the Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School, GGCSS, Maga, killing the vice principal and abducted 25 female students.
Bandits have intensified attacks on schools in recent time in parts of the northern part of Nigeria, taking students into hostage for ransom.
The security situation has led to some state governments shutting down, especially boarding schools while government maps out strategies to tackle the ugly trend.
Yobe, Kebbi, and now Niger States have shut down public schools following the renewed attacks on schools and kidnap of students by armed men, while police in Adamawa State say they have intensified operations to secure schools in the state.
Meanwhile, the Niger State National Assembly Caucus has described the kidnapping of students from St. Mary’s Catholic School, Agwara LGA as a tragic reminder of the worsening insecurity confronting the state and Nigeria at large.
The lawmakers noted that the recent attack by terrorists had once again exposed the vulnerabilities of rural communities most especially in border areas.
This was contained in statement jointly signed by Senator Mohammed Sani Musa and Hon. Abdullahi Garba on behalf of 10 other lawmakers.
The caucus further declared its full solidarity with Governor Umaru Bago and the people of Agwara.
They explained that the abduction had thrown families and the entire community including the state into fear and anguish.
While extending prayers to the affected children, their parents, teachers and all who are traumatised by by the incident, the lawmakers further described the development as “senseless and unacceptable”.
The legislators emphasised that no child in Niger State should be left at the mercy of terrorists.
They reaffirm their determination to support every legitimate effort aimed at restoring security and preventing further attacks on schools and vulnerable communities across the state.
The caucus insisted that the safety of children must remain a top national priority to everyone, most especially the government.
The lawmakers lamented the growing security challenges in Niger State and Northern Nigeria, noting that the Agwara incident reflected a troubling pattern of banditry, mass abductions as well as terrorism that had destabilised communities and disrupted livelihoods.
The caucus therefore called for urgent and enhanced military deployment in order to improve intelligence gathering, stronger inter-agency coordination including increased Federal Government intervention most especially in border communities like Agwara.
