FG Raises National Security Alert, Vows Decisive Action After Kebbi Abductions, Kwara Church Attack, Killing of Army General
The Federal Government on Wednesday announced sweeping security measures and the highest national alert level yet in response to a series of violent attacks across the country, including the killing of a senior Army General, the abduction of schoolgirls in Kebbi State, and an attack on a church in Kwara State.
Addressing journalists at the Minister’s Conference Room in Radio House, Abuja, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had placed Nigeria’s security agencies on full combat readiness to “actively pursue and eliminate terrorists, bandits, and criminal elements wherever they may be.”
The Minister began by conveying President Tinubu’s sympathies to families affected by recent attacks, describing the incidents as a “painful reminder of the threat we face” and stressing that they would only strengthen the government’s determination to crush terrorism.
According to Idris, the President has postponed his international engagements, including participation in the G20 meeting in South Africa, to focus fully on the deteriorating security situation. In addition, Tinubu has ordered an immediate surge of military and police personnel to Eruku and other communities in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, where armed men recently targeted a church.
In Kebbi State, Vice President Kashim Shettima is currently leading a high-profile federal delegation to meet with state authorities, security chiefs, traditional rulers, and families of the abducted schoolgirls. His team includes APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Bernard Doro, Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Suleiman Ibrahim, and NEMA Director General, Zubaida Umar.
Idris emphasized that rescuing the abducted students remains a top priority, assuring that security forces have been mandated to ensure their swift and safe return.
The Minister also cautioned against attempts to frame Nigeria’s security challenges in religious or sectarian terms, noting that such claims are “factually inaccurate and dangerously counterproductive.” He stressed that terrorists and criminal groups attack Nigerians across all ethnic and religious lines and warned that divisive narratives only aid destabilizing forces.
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“Nigeria is a multi-faith nation where the freedom of worship is constitutionally guaranteed,” Idris said. “At this critical time, it is imperative for all Nigerians to stand as one, reject misinformation, and recognize that our common enemies are terrorists, bandits, and criminals.”
He reiterated the government’s commitment to deploying all necessary resources and strategies to restore peace and safeguard the country’s future, expressing optimism that the abducted schoolgirls in Kebbi would soon be reunited with their families.
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