• Five killed as gunmen raid Kwara church, abduct worshippers

• Tinubu cancels G20, AU–EU outings to oversee security response

• Shettima visits Kebbi, conveys presidential assurance to grieving families

• Kwara youths block Ilorin–Kabba highway over delayed security response

• Saraki, AbdulRazaq decry attacks, demand urgent reinforcement

• Amaechi, NBA, MPAC, DAWN demand security overhaul

• Army to recruit 24,000 soldiers to strengthen national security, says COAS

Fresh violence sweeping through Kebbi, Borno and Kwara states, marked by the abduction of schoolgirls, the killing of a senior Army officer and the murder of worshippers, has deepened fears of a widening security collapse, forcing President Bola Tinubu to halt foreign trips and prompting an outpouring of condemnation from political leaders, civil society and regional bodies.

Eruku town in Kwara State descended into panic on Tuesday evening after armed masked men invaded a church service, killing five worshippers, abducting several others and injuring more people, including a local vigilante, as they fled through nearby bush paths.

The attackers stormed the Christ Apostolic Church, Oke Isegun branch, during a service and took away some worshippers, among them the officiating pastor. A livestream of the event, as well as eyewitnesses, reported that the gunmen opened fire immediately on entering the church, leaving multiple casualties before forcing several congregants into the surrounding bushes.

The incident followed Monday’s attack on the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State, during which armed men killed a teacher and abducted 24 students.

Within the same period, terrorists in Borno State executed Brigadier-General Musa Uba.

Consequently, President Bola Tinubu has suspended his planned trips to South Africa and Angola.

The President had been scheduled to depart Abuja yesterday for Johannesburg to attend the 20th G20 Leaders’ Summit, before proceeding to Luanda for the 7th AU–EU Summit. He opted instead to remain in Nigeria to receive full security briefings and coordinate the federal government’s response.

The G20 meeting would have marked Nigeria’s second appearance since joining the global economic group in 2023.

Presidency sources said the decision followed a review of the gravity of the Kebbi and Kwara incidents, with the President insisting that the safety of Nigerians “takes absolute precedence over every other engagement”.

In a statement, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said that while Nigeria remains committed to diplomatic and economic engagements with G20 and AU–EU partners, Tinubu would not embark on any foreign travel at a time of national grief and urgent security demands.

Officials said new travel dates would be announced after the President is satisfied with the progress of operations and has concluded the required security consultations.

Tinubu sends Shettima to Kebbi after schoolgirl abduction, mourns fallen soldiers

ALSO, President Tinubu yesterday directed Vice President Kashim Shettima to visit Kebbi State on a solidarity mission following the abduction of the schoolgirls.

According to the Presidency, the visit is intended to convey the Federal Government’s sympathy, reassure anxious parents, and underscore the administration’s commitment to securing the safe and swift return of the abducted pupils.

Upon his arrival in Kebbi, Shettima said the President was “deeply troubled” by the incident and had directed the Federal Government to deploy every available resource to ensure the safe return of the children and bring the perpetrators to justice. He described the attack as “an assault on Nigeria’s collective conscience”, stressing that rescuing the abducted students remained the government’s most urgent priority.

“Kebbi’s pain is Nigeria’s pain,” he told parents and guardians. “When our daughters are taken from their classrooms, the entire nation grieves. President Tinubu shares your anguish, and he has sent me to assure you that this government will not rest until your children return home safely.”

The Vice President also said those responsible for the deaths of Brigadier-General Musa Uba, the school’s vice-principal and other victims would face the full weight of the law, adding that “this wickedness will not go unanswered”. He also pledged support for the families of the slain officers and school officials, paying tribute to their courage and sacrifice.

“We honour the memory of Brigadier-General Uba and all who paid the supreme price. Their service will never be forgotten,” he said.

Youths protest bandit attack; Kwara police chief orders strengthened security

YOUTHS in Eruku, Ekiti Local Council of Kwara State, yesterday staged a mass protest following Tuesday night’s attack on the community by armed bandits.

The protesters took to major streets and blocked the Ilorin–Kabba highway, causing significant traffic disruption. Several articulated vehicles heading toward neighbouring Kogi State were seen stranded.

Some youths who spoke to our reporter alleged that the attack lasted for about an hour without any security response. One protester, Timothy Joshua, said his wife and granddaughter were among those abducted.

The Commissioner of Police in Kwara State, Adekimi Ojo, yesterday visited the Eruku community for an on-the-spot assessment following the attack.

On arrival, he was received by the Divisional Police Officer in Eruku and other tactical commanders, who briefed him on the situation and ongoing response efforts. The CP, accompanied by the State Director of the Department of State Services, Micheal Oganwu, also met the Owa of Eruku, Oba Busari Ayinde Oyediran Olanrewaju, at his palace.

The traditional ruler welcomed the security chiefs, expressed regret over the attack and appealed for additional personnel to protect residents and prevent further incidents.

The police commissioner held separate meetings with community leaders, local vigilantes and residents to obtain firsthand accounts and reassure them of the command’s commitment to securing lives and property.

He later visited the Christ Apostolic Church, Oke-Isegun, the site of the attack, where the resident pastor, Bamidele, narrated how the incident unfolded and led security officials around the premises.

The CP is leading a strategic review of the attack and has ordered the deployment of more personnel and resources to rescue abducted victims, track down the perpetrators and restore confidence in the community.

The state police command said further updates would be provided as investigations continue.

Saraki, Kwara gov condemn Eruku attack, demand urgent security reinforcement

FORMER Senate President Abubakar Bukola Saraki and Kwara State governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq have condemned Tuesday’s terrorist attack on worshippers in Eruku, describing the incident as shocking, deeply troubling and a stark reminder of deteriorating security in the area.

Saraki said he received news of the attack on the community in his home state “with great concern”, noting that several residents were injured while others were kidnapped. He said the violence had shattered the “usually serene and peaceful atmosphere” of the town and required immediate and decisive action from the authorities. He sympathised with the victims and their families and urged the Federal Government and security chiefs to act swiftly to secure the release of abducted residents and reinforce security across Kwara.

Governor AbdulRazaq, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye, called the attack deeply troubling and requested the urgent deployment of more security operatives to Eruku and its surrounding communities. He assured residents that the state government would continue to support security agencies and commended President Bola Tinubu for deploying 900 additional troops to Kwara, saying the move had already restored relative calm in previously troubled locations.

NBA demands sweeping security overhaul as killings heighten national anxiety

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has renewed its call for accountability, decisive leadership and a coordinated national response to the country’s worsening security crisis as its National Executive Committee meeting opens in Benin City. The body demanded an immediate overhaul of Nigeria’s security architecture following the abduction of schoolgirls in Kebbi State and the killing of senior military personnel in Borno, warning that the nation is approaching a breaking point.

It paid tribute to the teacher killed in the Kebbi school attack and to Brigadier-General M. Uba and other soldiers slain in Borno, describing them as heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice. NBA President Mazi Afam Osigwe (SAN) and General Secretary Mobolaji Ojibara said the moment called for leadership, justice and the defence of the nation’s soul.

In a strongly worded statement, the association said the attack on Government Girls’ Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, which left a teacher dead and students abducted, was another sign of Nigeria’s deepening security collapse. It stressed that the incident was neither isolated nor unexpected in a country where “impunity has become habitual and national tragedies have become background noise”.

It said, “enough is enough”, noting that hours before the Kebbi attack, ISWAP insurgents had ambushed and killed Brigadier-General Uba in Borno, shortly after another deadly assault on soldiers in the same region.

The association warned that terrorists were becoming increasingly bold, targeting civilians and military personnel.

The NBA said the pattern of killings, kidnappings and invasions showed that “no one is safe”, citing reports that more than 145 people were abducted within four days across Kebbi, Niger and Zamfara States. It also referenced DSS alerts of planned ISWAP attacks in Ondo and Kogi States, saying the intelligence showed terrorist groups were expanding into previously secure zones.

Amaechi faults FG’s handling of insecurity, urges Tinubu to take decisive action

Former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi has criticised the Federal Government’s response to the recent wave of insecurity, saying the administration has shown insufficient political will to curb terrorist attacks and mass killings across the country.

In a statement posted on his X platform, Amaechi said the government had failed to provide adequate protection for citizens, pointing to the surge in terrorist attacks and kidnappings as evidence of a deeper national security crisis. He said the lack of decisive action had emboldened criminal groups and eroded public confidence.

He listed recent incidents that occurred within a week, including attacks in Plateau State, the abduction of secondary schoolgirls in Kebbi, the killing of Brigadier-General M. Uba in an ambush in Borno, the attack on a church in Kwara, and the kidnapping of a priest, Rev Fr Bobbo Paschal, in Kaduna. He said the scale and frequency of the violence were “too much to be ignored”.

Amaechi urged the Federal Government to step up its response, strengthen military intelligence, and enhance tactical operations. Addressing President Bola Tinubu directly, he said the primary duty of the presidency was the protection of lives and property and called for stronger coordination, better decision-making and greater accountability.

He criticised what he described as inadequate reactions to national tragedies, saying that “prioritising a summit or jetting out for whatever reason when Nigerians are dying” did not reflect the behaviour of effective leadership. He said the moment demanded probing wrong decisions, recalibrating strategy and taking tough actions.

Amaechi added that his experience in Rivers State showed that insecurity could be brought under control, saying, “We are prepared to help if you request help.”

Olawepo-Hashim warns FG losing security control as northern attacks escalate

Former presidential candidate Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim has warned that the Federal Government has lost operational control over security in northern Nigeria, citing renewed terrorist attacks in Kwara and Kebbi States.

In a statement in Kaduna yesterday, he said the latest assaults, including the killing of two security operatives in Rogun Village, Kpada District of Patigi Local Council, showed that terrorists now operate “without fear of the state”. He noted that attackers stormed a police outpost in Rogun on Sunday night, engaging officers in a prolonged gunfight before overrunning the facility.

He said the Patigi attack was particularly troubling because the Middle Belt corridor had long been viewed as relatively stable, arguing that the incident reflected “a total failure of intelligence and policing”. According to him, rural communities are now under siege, schools are unsafe, and police posts have been turned into battlefields.

Olawepo-Hashim also referred to reports of a serving military general ambushed after terrorists allegedly intercepted his communication, saying the development showed insurgents had acquired “advanced capability and extraordinary daring”. He questioned what hope remained for villagers when police outposts could be attacked without consequence and schoolgirls abducted in Kebbi without immediate rescue.

He warned that effective state control was now largely confined to state capitals, while “vast rural territories have fallen under the shadow of armed groups”, adding that many villagers were forced to pay taxes to terrorists.

MPAC warns Nigeria at ‘dangerous crossroads’, demands urgent action on insecurity

The Muslim Public Affairs Centre (MPAC) has raised alarm over what it calls a dangerous escalation of violence across the country, warning that Nigeria is “at a dangerous crossroads” and in urgent need of decisive government intervention.

In a statement issued yesterday by its Executive Chairman, Disu Kamor, the organisation said the past week had witnessed a troubling surge in deadly attacks, further highlighting the scale of the nation’s security crisis. It listed five major incidents recorded within days, including the killing of a Brigadier-General by ISWAP insurgents in the North-East and the abduction of schoolgirls in Kebbi State, during which a vice-principal was also killed while trying to protect them. MPAC also cited the attack on a Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku, Kwara State, where worshippers were murdered and several were abducted.

Other incidents mentioned were the killing of an APC chieftain and the kidnapping of his family, as well as attacks in Patigi, Kwara State, where terrorists killed a police officer, a vigilante and abducted two traditional rulers.

MPAC referenced earlier attacks in Zamfara State, including the 7 October abduction of 30 villagers from Zamfarawa in Bukkuyum Council and the 18 October kidnapping of 73 residents from Buzugu and Rayau communities. It noted that more than 145 people had been reported missing in recent days across the state.

The organisation said the frequency of attacks on schools, religious centres, communities and even senior military officers showed that criminal groups were becoming more brazen. “Each life lost represents a family shattered, a community destabilised, and a nation traumatised,” it said. “Nigeria is failing in its most fundamental duty, the protection of life.”

DAWN Commission urges urgent creation of state police as insecurity worsens

The Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission has called on the Federal Government and the National Assembly to fast-track legislative processes for the creation of state police, warning that Nigeria is edging dangerously close to a collapse of law and order amid rising insecurity.

In a statement issued yesterday by its Director-General, Seye Oyeleye, the Commission said the country had reached “a critical juncture”, with terrorists, bandits and criminal groups expanding their operations and unleashing unprecedented violence across all regions. It said daily reports of killings, kidnappings and the destruction of livelihoods “paint a grim picture of a nation under siege”, noting that the Nigerian Army, despite its efforts, was overstretched and unable to contain the multiple security fronts alone.

The Commission warned that “without urgent legislative action to empower states to develop their own policing and intelligence structures, the country risks sliding into a total breakdown of law and order”.

DAWN cautioned that failure to overhaul Nigeria’s security architecture could fuel ethno-religious conflict, encourage unregulated vigilante activity and strengthen criminal networks, further eroding public trust in state institutions.

Education Minister condemns Kebbi school attack, pledges stronger safety measures

The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, has condemned the attack on Government Girls’ School, Maga, in Kebbi State, where schoolgirls were abducted and the vice-principal was killed.

In a statement posted on X yesterday, Alausa described the incident as tragic and heartbreaking, offering condolences to the families of the victims, the school community and the people of Kebbi State. He said no parent should face such terror, and no educator should lose their life while performing the duty of teaching children.

He said the attack was “an assault on our children, our educators, and our nation’s future” and stressed the need for urgent and coordinated action.

The minister said the Federal Government was working with security and intelligence agencies as well as the Kebbi State Government to secure the release of the abducted schoolgirls and bring the perpetrators to justice. He added that the Ministry of Education remained committed to strengthening safety measures in schools, particularly in vulnerable areas.

Army to recruit 24,000 soldiers to strengthen national security, says COAS

The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shuaibu, has announced plans to recruit and train 24,000 new soldiers as part of efforts to reinforce the operational strength of the Nigerian Army.

Shuaibu disclosed this yesterday during a visit to 1 Division of the Nigerian Army in Kaduna, where he addressed officers from the ranks of second lieutenant to captain and lieutenant colonel. He said the recruitment drive formed a central component of the Army’s strategy to confront emerging security threats and improve the preparedness of troops nationwide.

He said, “The area of responsibility is vast and security challenges are dynamic. To meet these threats effectively, we need boots on the ground. In six months, we aim to train 12,000 soldiers from three new training facilities. If we operate two streams, we can produce up to 24,000 soldiers ready for deployment.” (THE GUARDIAN)