Tinubu orders intensified rescue and school security

President Bola Tinubu has directed security agencies to intensify rescue operations for abducted schoolchildren and strengthen protective measures for schools in high-risk areas. The announcement came in a national address marking Children's Day on Wednesday, which coincided with the Eid-el-Kabir holiday.

The President directly addressed children, parents, and teachers being held captive, particularly referencing recent kidnappings in Oyo and Borno states. "As a father and your President you are not forgotten. You are not abandoned," Tinubu stated. He acknowledged that while many families celebrated, others were in mourning or waiting for missing children to return home.

Tinubu ordered all relevant security agencies to sustain and intensify coordinated, intelligence-led rescue operations focused on the safe recovery of the abducted children. He also issued directives for bolstering school security, which include updated vulnerability mapping for schools, improved coordination between state governments and security commands, establishing rapid response links between schools and local security units, and strengthening community-based early warning systems.