As insecurity continues to escalate across Nigeria, Minister of Information Mohammed Idris stated on Friday that President Bola Tinubu is distressed by the recent killings and the kidnapping of students.
He said, “It’s a very sad thing; the president is really saddened about it. That is why, even before this designation of President Trump that this nation is a nation of Particular Concern, even before the threats issued by President Trump, recall that the president has re-jigged the security forces.”
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, the minister noted that the President is displeased with the worsening security situation and stressed that Tinubu had reorganised the security architecture in an effort to tackle the challenges.
In recent times, armed groups have intensified attacks in northern Nigeria, resulting in the deaths and abductions of students.
Early Friday morning, terrorists stormed a Catholic-run school in Niger State and kidnapped an undisclosed number of students.
This came less than a week after bandits seized 26 students from Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School, Maga, in Kebbi State — an assault that also led to the death of Vice Principal Hassan Makuku, who tried to resist the attackers.
The latest development also follows the kidnapping of at least 30 worshippers during a violent assault on Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku, Kwara State, where three people were killed.
Earlier in the week, bandits also attacked another Christ Apostolic Church branch in the Eruku community of Kwara State, murdering three worshippers and abducting the pastor.
Reacting to the incidents, the minister stated, “These are really sad times for our country,” emphasising that condemning such violence does not require belonging to any particular religion.
He added, “The highest duty of any government is to ensure the protection of lives and duties. Whoever the person might be, it’s not good for our country. No one should be happy that anybody is losing their lives for no just reason.
“The second thing is that it is important to note that the complexities and dynamics playing out in this country are not simple ones. We have situations where jihadist extremists are coming out of the northeastern part of the country,” Idris said.
Idris further noted that the battle against terrorism and insurgency has gone on for sixteen years.
He also revealed that Nigeria and the United States have begun diplomatic engagement to address the claims of Christian genocide and the rising insecurity in the country.
