President Bola Tinubu has expressed profound sadness over the recent abduction of 25 schoolgirls in Kebbi State and the killing of Brigadier General Musa Uba along with other soldiers in Borno State.
Speaking on Wednesday, Tinubu offered his prayers to the families affected by these tragic events.
“The families of the kidnapped girls, and the families of our fallen soldiers, are in my prayers,” he said in a post on X.
“As Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, I am deeply grieved by the loss of lives of our officers on active duty. May God provide comfort to the families of Brigadier General Musa Uba and other fallen heroes.”
The abduction occurred early Monday morning when gunmen attacked the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Kebbi State, killing one staff member and abducting 25 students from their hostel.
Police reports indicate that the attackers, armed with sophisticated weapons, fired sporadically before breaching the school’s perimeter.
This incident adds to a long history of school abductions in Nigeria, including the notorious Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping over a decade ago, which drew global attention.
In a related development, two days before the Kebbi attack, operatives of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) ambushed a Nigerian military unit, which included members of the Civilian Joint Task Force.
Brigadier General Uba and four soldiers were captured and subsequently killed by the terrorists, despite earlier military claims that the officers had survived the attack.
The terror group later released photographs confirming the killings.
In response, President Tinubu directed security agencies to act urgently to rescue the kidnapped students.
“I am fully aware of the recent rise in violent extremism across certain regions of the country, and I have instructed our security forces to respond decisively and swiftly,” he said.
He also called on Nigerian communities to assist security forces by sharing information that could protect lives and prevent further attacks.
“Those who threaten the safety of our citizens will face the full force of the Nigerian state,” the President warned.
