The minister, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, stepped down with immediate effect, citing health reasons.

His exit follows President Bola Tinubu’s decision to declare a nationwide security emergency days after a wave of coordinated abductions across multiple states.

Mass Kidnappings Trigger Leadership Crisis

More than 300 students and staff were abducted from St. Mary’s School on 21 November, with roughly 50 managing to escape.

In total, almost 400 people were seized in late November, including schoolchildren, clergy, farmers and wedding groups. The surge forced the president to cancel planned trips to major international summits.

Emergency Measures And Recruitment Drive

Tinubu last week authorized the recruitment of “thousands” of additional security personnel to strengthen overstretched forces.

Officials say the emergency framework will include operational surges across high-risk regions and accelerated police deployments, though full details are expected later.

External Pressure Intensifies

The president is facing criticism at home and abroad, including accusations from Washington alleging failures to protect Christian communities—a claim Abuja rejects.

Analysts warn that external pressure may complicate domestic counter-kidnapping operations as the government tries to reassure the public and international partners.

Longstanding Conflict Dynamics

Nigeria has struggled with mass abductions since Boko Haram kidnapped nearly 300 girls from Chibok in 2014. Criminal gangs, insurgent groups and opportunistic networks continue to exploit weak rural security, creating overlapping threats that stretch state capacities.

Tinubu’s upcoming security blueprint aims to realign federal, state and local responses under a unified command structure.