Nigeria’s president postpones G20 trip, vows to intensify efforts to rescue abducted schoolgirls

Nigeria’s president postponed his trip to this weekend’s Group of 20 summit after promising to intensify efforts to rescue 24 schoolgirls who were abducted by gunmen earlier this week in a northwestern region of the country. Civil society leaders have accused security forces of inaction.

President Bola Tinubu had been set to leave for South Africa on Wednesday, days before the summit of the world’s leading rich and developing nations was due to begin. But Tinubu said that he was suspending his departure in light of the abductions and a separate church attack in which gunmen killed two people, spokesperson Bayo Onanuga said in a statement.

“Disturbed by the security breaches in Kebbi state and Tuesday’s attack by bandits against worshippers at Christ Apostolic Church, Eruku, President Tinubu decided to suspend his departure” to the G20 summit, Onanuga said.

It wasn’t immediately clear if or when Tinubu would leave for