President Bola Tinubu has ordered a 24-hour security cordon around forests in Kwara, Kebbi, and Niger states to coordinate with ground forces, following a surge in kidnappings and terrorist activities.
His directive came after over 20 people, including a pregnant woman, nursing mothers, and children, were abducted on Monday evening in a fresh attack on Isapa, a community just five kilometres from Eruku in Kwara State.
Meanwhile, a cleric and a traditional ruler raised alarm over the killing and maiming of people in some communities in Nasarawa State, as parents of abducted students in Kebbi and Niger states pleaded with the Federal Government to rescue their children.
The Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) also threatened to withdraw teachers from classrooms if their lives were no longer safe and demanded government action to release teachers in captivity.
The United Nations urged the government to halt kidnappings and prosecute perpetrators, as the Presidency explained why bandits’ enclaves could not be bombed by security agencies.
Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, disclosed via a post on his X handle that the President ordered the Nigerian Air Force to intensify aerial surveillance over the deepest stretches of forests where criminals were believed to be hiding.
“The operation will run round the clock, with air assets maintaining constant communication and coordination with ground troops,” Dare noted.
He explained that the directive would cover all axes where joint operations are expected, facilitating the rescue of kidnapped victims.
“Communities in the affected regions have also been urged to provide timely intelligence on suspicious movements to aid security forces in restoring safety,” Dare added.
There has been an increased wave of brazen kidnappings and violent raids across Kwara, Kebbi, and Niger states, exposing the alarming reach of criminal networks exploiting remote forests and ungoverned terrain.
On Monday evening, no fewer than 20 people were abducted in a fresh bandits’ attack on Isapa, a Kwara community about five kilometres from Eruku. A week earlier, three people had been killed in a CAC church in Eruku, and 38 abducted in that attack regained freedom last weekend.
Vanguard gathered that the attack occurred around 7 p.m., when bandits stormed the community with a large herd of cattle, firing shots indiscriminately to scare residents.
The gunmen reportedly fired sporadically as they advanced, forcing residents to flee for safety. Sources in the town told journalists in Ilorin that an elderly woman was reportedly killed by a stray bullet during the assault.
A community leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, said 11 people were initially abducted, seven of whom belonged to the same family.
The kidnapped victims include a pregnant woman, two nursing mothers, and several children. They were identified as: Talatu Kabiru (Female, 20); Magaji (Male, 6); Kande (Female, 5); Hadiza (Female, 10); Mariam (Female, 6); Saima (Female, 5); housewife Habibat; housewife Fatima Yusufu; pregnant woman Sarah Sunday (Female, 22); Lami Fidelis (Female, 23, nursing mother); and Haja Na Allah (nursing mother).
The attackers reportedly moved through parts of the town, leaving bullet holes in walls and doors, as expended AK-47 shells were found scattered across the community after their departure.
The Treasurer of Isapa Peoples Union (IPU), Abayomi Daramola, confirmed the attack and said the bandits were targeting a businessman who had been abducted last year and released after a N20 million ransom. Daramola explained that the businessman was not home, which angered the bandits, who abducted everyone they found in the house, including the elderly and children.
Commissioner of Police Ojo Adekimi, who also confirmed the attack, said he had just returned to Ilorin from the community and that the Police Public Relations Officer was preparing a comprehensive report.
Consequently, Kwara State Governor Alhaji AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq announced a cabinet-level security committee to develop short-to-long-term solutions to curb further security breaches.
The committee, headed by Deputy Governor Kayode Alabi, includes Mrs. Olufunke Shittu of the Office of the Head of Service as secretary, with Brigadier General Saliu Bello (Special Adviser on Security Matters), Commissioner Abdullahi Bata (Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs, and Community Development), Senior Special Assistant on Security Alhaji Muhyideen Aliu, Special Assistant on Security Alhaji Moshood Gobir, and one local government chairman from each of the three senatorial districts as members.
A statement by Governor AbdulRazaq’s Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye, said the committee would engage with stakeholders, including traditional rulers, to design a Kwara-specific security strategy. “The committee will submit its report to the governor within four weeks. Its recommendations will further enrich the understanding of nationwide security situations from local perspectives,” the statement added.
In Kebbi State, Governor Dr. Nasir Idris confirmed that 25 schoolgirls abducted from Government Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, had been rescued. The girls were in good health, and no ransom was paid. The security agencies acted on President Tinubu’s orders to rescue them unharmed.
Governor Idris thanked the military, DSS, NSCDC, and police for the successful rescue operations and commended President Tinubu for his commitment to public safety.
President Tinubu welcomed the release of the 24 schoolgirls abducted in Maga, Kebbi, last Monday, applauding the security agents for their efforts. He also tasked them to intensify operations to rescue remaining students still in captivity.
A statement by the presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, quoted Tinubu as saying: “I am relieved that all 24 girls have been accounted for. Now, we must urgently deploy more boots on the ground in vulnerable areas to avert further incidents of kidnapping. My government will provide all the assistance needed to achieve this.”