In a move that has heightened scrutiny on the country’s beleaguered security apparatus, Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, has tendered his resignation, effective immediately, as the nation grapples with a surge in violent abductions and widespread instability.
The announcement, confirmed by the State House on Monday, comes just days after President Bola Tinubu declared a national security emergency, signaling an urgent push to bolster forces amid rampant kidnappings by criminal gangs. Abubakar, a 63-year-old former two-term governor of Jigawa State, cited personal health concerns in his letter to the president, though the timing has fueled speculation about deeper ties to the unfolding crisis.
Appointed to the role in August 2023 as a key ally in Tinubu’s election campaign, Abubakar’s tenure has been overshadowed by escalating threats, including a deadly Islamist insurgency in the northeast, farmer-herder clashes in the central belt, and a wave of mass kidnappings targeting schools, churches, and wedding parties.
Recent incidents underscore the gravity: On Sunday, gunmen stormed a church in Kogi State, abducting a pastor and nearly a dozen parishioners; the day prior, over 30 women including a bride and her guests were seized in Sakoko, northwestern Nigeria.
Official figures indicate more than 490 abductions in the past three weeks alone.
President Tinubu has accepted the resignation, expressing gratitude for Abubakar’s contributions, and is expected to nominate a successor to the Senate later this week.
In parallel, the emergency declaration includes directives for the armed forces, Nigeria Police Force, and Department of State Services to expand recruitment aiming to add 20,000 officers to reach a 50,000-strong force while imposing restrictions like bans on nighttime motorcycle travel in high-risk areas.
Security analysts note that while Abubakar’s exit is officially health-related, it arrives amid international pressure, including a recent U.S. designation of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” for religious freedom violations linked to attacks on Christians.
Critics have long called for a leadership shake-up, arguing that the ministry’s strategies have failed to curb the lucrative ransom-driven banditry plaguing Africa’s most populous nation.
Source : myxyzonline
