Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has postponed his planned departure for the Group of 20 Summit in Johannesburg, following the abduction of 24 schoolgirls in Kebbi State and a separate attack on a church on Tuesday, 18 November 2025.
The President, who had been scheduled to leave for South Africa on Wednesday, said he would remain in the country to oversee intensified rescue operations. His spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, noted that Tinubu was “disturbed by the security breaches,” prompting the suspension of his trip. The timeline for his attendance at the summit, set for Saturday and Sunday, remains uncertain.
The abduction occurred before dawn on Monday at the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in the town of Maga, where gunmen scaled a perimeter fence, exchanged gunfire with police officers, and kidnapped the students, killing a staff member. One of the abducted girls, 15-year-old Hawau Usman, managed to escape and recounted her ordeal upon returning to the school. Civil society leaders have criticised security forces for failing to act on community warnings issued three days before the incident, raising broader concerns about the persistent cycle of kidnappings in Nigeria’s northwest, where gangs have increasingly targeted schools for ransom.
As rescue teams, military units, and vigilante groups intensify operations across Maga and its surrounding forests, families of the missing girls remain traumatised and desperate for swift action. Analysts emphasise the need for intelligence-driven pursuit and, if necessary, negotiations to ensure the safe return of the victims. President Tinubu has directed security agencies to “act swiftly” and reaffirmed his commitment to restoring safety and trust in affected communities. The attack adds to a long and painful history of student kidnappings in northern Nigeria, where more than 1,500 students have been abducted since the Chibok schoolgirls’ tragedy over a decade ago.