By:ThinkBusiness Africa
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has postponed his trip to the G20 leaders’ summit in South Africa later this month, and also the African Union–European Union (AU–EU) Summit in Angola following intense insecurity in Nigeria, which the president will now focus on solving. The presidency said on Wednesday.
According to a statement from the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President was “deeply disturbed” by recent violent incidents and chose to suspend his departure to personally receive further security briefings and coordinate the national response.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has postponed his scheduled trip to Johannesburg, South Africa and Luanda, Angola, as he awaits further security briefings on the kidnapped Kebbi schoolgirls and the attack on Christ Apostolic Church worshippers in Eruku, Kwara State.” The statement read.
This week 24 female students were mass abducted from the Government Girls’ Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State, northern Nigeria by armed bandits.
Shortly afterwards, there was a deadly bandit attack on Christian worshippers at the Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku, Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State.
The President is now awaiting comprehensive reports from key security officials and his Vice President before finalizing his travel schedule.
In response to the crises, President Tinubu has issued several strong directives, directing all security agencies to “do everything possible to rescue the 24 schoolgirls, abducted by the bandits and bring the girls back home, safe.” He ordered.
Following a request from the Governor of Kwara State, the President ordered the deployment of additional military and police personnel to Eruku and the entire Ekiti Local Government Area to secure the community and pursue the attackers.
The President is currently awaiting detailed reports from Vice President Kashim Shettima, who recently visited Kebbi State on his behalf to commiserate with victims and assess the situation. Furthermore, he expects urgent updates from the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services (DSS) regarding the Kwara church attack.
Earlier this month, the United States president Donald Trump had called on the Nigerian authorities to end the killing of Christian in the country, highlighting that Christians were being targeted and killed by Islamic terrorists.
Trump, went further to threaten U.S military inversion to Nigeria, if the attacks on Christians continues, after designating Nigeria as a country of “particular concern.”
No U.S officials will be attending the G20 summit, as president trump had boycotted the event earlier this month; accusing the South African government of oppressing white farmers, killing them and taking their lands.
This is the first time Africa is hosting the leadership of 20 summit.
President Tinubu was invited by South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa and was expected to engage with leaders from the world’s 20 largest economies on issues like global economic stability, climate change, and inclusive development.
