In a carefully staged meeting at the State House in Abuja, President Bola Tinubu received Kebbi State Governor Nasir Idris to chat about the so-called “pressing security issues” plaguing the North-West of Nigeria. The recent so-called “successful” rescue of abducted schoolgirls, a move that feels more like a desperate attempt to distract from the ongoing chaos caused by armed gangs targeting schools.

Governor Idris was quick to shower Tinubu with praise, attributing the supposed success of the operation to the President’s “decisive leadership.” The meeting highlighted the rescue operation that returned 25 female students abducted from the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga. 

Idris gushed, “I thanked Mr. President for his leadership and decisive action in ensuring their safe return.” Sure, if you ignore the fact that these girls were abducted in broad daylight in the first place. The rescue, which took place on November 26, was followed by a photo-op handover to their families.

The Governor didn’t stop there; he also praised Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, for his role in the operation, which was presented as critical to its success. However, there’s an underlying tension here: the resurgence of kidnapping for ransom in the North-West and North Central regions shows that armed groups are still very much active, instilling fear among parents and students alike.

Let’s not forget the alarming trend of school abductions in Nigeria, which began with the infamous Chibok attack in 2014. The public is fed up with the government’s lackluster response to these crises, and many citizens are demanding stronger action to ensure the safety of students,who seem to be caught in the crossfire of a failing security strategy.

As the meeting wrapped up, both leaders reiterated their “commitment” to improving security in the region.