Nigeria’s presidency has announced the resignation of Defense Minister Mohammed Badaru Abubakar (63) for health reasons, effective immediately.
The announcement came alongside President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a national security state of emergency, with details of its scope to be clarified later.
The move follows a wave of mass kidnappings that has shaken the country, with more than 400 people abducted in the past two weeks, most of them in Niger State in the country’s central-west region.
This resurgence evokes memories of the mass abduction of 276 schoolgirls in 2014, which marked the beginning of large-scale kidnapping operations in Nigeria.
In response to the escalation, President Tinubu ordered the deployment of additional security forces.
He also reaffirmed his government’s commitment to equipping police and security agencies with modern gear, advanced training, and sustainable logistical support, during a graduation ceremony for a new class of officers.
Tinubu emphasized in a speech delivered on his behalf by the Secretary to the Government that his administration’s approach to tackling insecurity is comprehensive, going beyond military measures to address the economic and social roots of the crisis — with the goal of building a modern, efficient police force capable of safeguarding internal security.
