The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has expressed deep concern over the abduction of 25 schoolgirls in Kebbi State and the attack on Christian worshippers in Eruku, Kwara State, describing the incidents as heartbreaking and unacceptable.
In a statement signed by the Agency’s Deputy Director of Communication and Media, Mr. Paul Adeniyi, the NOA Director General, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, condemned the kidnapping at the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, calling it a shocking violation of children’s rights and a threat to education.
He stressed that “schools must remain safe spaces for learning, and no child should ever be put at risk while seeking an education.”
The NOA DG also denounced the attack on worshippers in Kwara, sympathising with the victims and their families.
He described the act as senseless and harmful to Nigeria’s long-cherished peace and religious harmony.
Issa-Onilu reminded citizens that freedom of worship is guaranteed by the Constitution, warning that targeting people because of their faith is both unlawful and unpatriotic.
He assured that security agencies—acting on President Bola Tinubu’s directive—are working tirelessly to rescue the abducted students and affected worshippers.
The DG added that the Agency’s monthly National Security Briefing aims to keep Nigerians better informed and urged the public to support security agencies with timely, credible information.
Reporting by Abiola Peters