Nigeria: Fresh Abductions in Kwara, Kano Mar Celebration of Kebbi Schoolgirls’ Rescue

Barely 24 hours after the presidency announced the liberation of the 38 Eruku worshippers, crediting the operation to “pressure from DSS and the military,” the bandits struck again in the same local government area.

The jubilation following the rescue of 24 schoolgirls in Kebbi State and 38 worshippers in Kwara State has been dampened by a fresh wave of abductions, with armed bandits striking just kilometres away from the site of a reported military success.

While President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday commended security agencies for the safe return of the students of Government Girls’ Secondary School, Maga, and the worshippers from the Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku, terrorists were simultaneously opening new fronts in the North-west and North-central zones.

The Isapa Attack

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Barely 24 hours after the presidency announced the liberation of the 38 Eruku worshippers, crediting the operation to “pressure from DSS and the military,” the bandits struck again in the same local government area.

On Monday evening, gunmen invaded the Isapa community in the Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, just five kilometres from Eruku.

According to local sources, the attackers arrived with a large herd of cattle to disguise their movement before unleashing mayhem.

Although the Kwara State Police Command confirmed 10 abductions, community leaders told PREMIUM TIMES that the figure is closer to 20. The victims reportedly include a pregnant woman, nursing mothers, and children.

“The bandits went after a businessman who had previously paid ransom. When they didn’t find him, they took his family and neighbours,” said Abayomi Daramola, a community leader.

Kano and Niger Crises

The insecurity has also metastasised to Kano State, where 10 persons were abducted in Tsanyawa Local Government Area on Monday night. Residents link the attack to a spillover of banditry from neighbouring Katsina State.

Meanwhile, a bureaucratic standoff continues in Niger State regarding the students of St. Mary’s Catholic School, Papiri.

While 24 Kebbi students are being reunited with their families, over 265 children from Papiri remain in captivity.

Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga disclosed on Tuesday that the federal government is “in the dark” regarding the exact number of victims in Niger, citing a lack of comprehensive data from the school authorities and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).

Matawalle’s “Non-Kinetic” Controversy

The rescue in Kebbi has also sparked a political row. The Zamfara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has challenged the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle’s claim that no ransom was paid.

Citing a video in which bandits allegedly claimed the government chose negotiation over force, the PDP accused the minister of reverting to the controversial “peace deals,” a claim the government has yet to officially refute.

President Tinubu has since ordered a 24-hour aerial surveillance of forests in Kwara, Kebbi, and Niger States to stem the tide of attacks.