By Spy Uganda
Nigeria’s defence minister, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, has resigned, the president’s office announced on Monday, amid a worsening security crisis marked by a surge in mass kidnappings.
His departure comes as President Bola Tinubu last week declared a “nationwide security emergency” and ordered the recruitment of 20,000 additional police officers to bolster the country’s overstretched security apparatus.
Nigeria is currently battling dozens of armed groups operating across remote and poorly governed regions, where both military and police forces struggle to maintain effective control.
In November, more than 300 people were abducted from a school in Niger State, one of the largest mass kidnappings in the country this year. Days earlier, 25 schoolgirls were taken by armed men in neighbouring Kebbi State.
Analysts say criminal gangs increasingly target schools to pressure authorities into negotiating ransoms. No group has claimed responsibility for the recent attacks.
The crisis has deepened further as armed groups from across the Sahel join forces with jihadist factions, including Boko Haram affiliates seeking to expand their foothold in northern Nigeria.
The situation has also drawn international attention. Last month, former U.S. President Donald Trump threatened potential military action against Nigeria over what he described as the persecution of Christians—a claim the Nigerian government strongly denies.
