Nigeria’s Defence Minister, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, has stepped down with immediate effect due to health reasons, the presidency announced on Monday.
According to presidential spokesperson Mayo Onanuga, Abubakar’s resignation comes as President Bola Tinubu declares a national security emergency, with further details to be outlined soon.
Surge in Bandit Attacks
Nigeria has struggled with widespread armed banditry for years, but recent weeks have seen a sharp rise in kidnappings.
In Kogi State, armed men stormed a church during Sunday service, abducting the pastor and nearly a dozen worshippers. The day before, around 30 women—including a bride and her wedding guests—were kidnapped in Sakoko, in the northwest.
Overall, roughly 490 people have been abducted in various states over the past two weeks, according to Punch newspaper. This includes the mass abduction at St. Mary’s Catholic boarding school in Papiri, Niger State, where 315 people—mostly children—were taken in late November. About 50 students later escaped.
Bandit groups operating across northwestern and north-central Nigeria routinely kidnap civilians for ransom. At the same time, the country continues to battle a violent Islamist insurgency in its northern regions.
Successive governments have faced criticism for failing to contain the escalating violence and for not adequately protecting schools.
Security Forces Under Strain
Following the recent kidnappings, President Tinubu declared a national security emergency and ordered large-scale recruitment into the military and police.
However, Nigeria’s security forces are already undermanned, poorly equipped, and in need of training. According to analyst Oluwole Ojewale of the Institute for Security Studies, security presence in remote communities is minimal, with weak surveillance capabilities.
The UK government estimates Nigeria has only about 370,000 security personnel for a population of 220 million—and many officers are assigned to protect wealthy individuals rather than the general public.
Corruption, bribery, and slow police response continue to hinder efforts to combat the worsening security crisis.
