Meanwhile, the Federal Government has reportedly moved to set up a joint task force drawing personnel member from the military, police, DSS and other agencies to rescue the kidnapped students.

This as the Director-General of the Department of State Services, Tosin Ajayi, briefed President Bola Tinubu on the country’s security situation amid fresh waves of student abductions.

Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed the meeting in a post on X on Saturday, saying, “The Director-General of the Department of State Services, DSS, Mr Tosin Adeola Ajayi, briefed President Bola Tinubu on the security situation on Friday night.”

Photographs released afterwards showed the spy chief in the President’s office.

However, Onanuga issued no formal statement of the discussions was issued.

But an official familiar with the meeting told our correspondent that the talks centred on planned operations to track and rescue abducted schoolchildren especially across the North-West and North-Central.

However, when contacted to confirm the task force, the presidential spokesman simply told Sunday PUNCH that such an arrangement “is possible,” but declined to give further details.

The latest moves come against the backdrop of the abduction of at least 26 students of Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, in Kebbi State, in the early hours of Monday, and a separate attack on worshippers at Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku, Kwara State.

The attackers killed two worshipers and abducted 38 others.

On Friday, more than 303 children and 12 teachers were kidnapped after gunmen stormed St Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Agwara LGA of Niger State.

In response to the Kebbi incident, Tinubu on Thursday directed the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, to relocate to the state and “remain on ground” to coordinate security efforts and monitor the search for the missing girls. (Sunday PUNCH)