President Macron announced that he spoke with President Tinubu and expressed France’s solidarity as Nigeria confronts rising security challenges, especially terrorism in the North.
On Sunday France offered increased support for Nigeria, that French President Emmanuel Macron said was facing “various security challenges, particularly the terrorist threat in the North”.
I spoke with President Tinubu of Nigeria, I conveyed France’s solidarity in the face of the various security challenges, particularly the terrorist threat in the North.
“At his request, we will strengthen our partnership with the authorities and our support for the affected populations. We call on all our partners to step up their engagement.
“No one can remain a spectator.” Macron urged global partners
In late November gunmen attacked St Mary’s boarding school in Papiri, kidnapping 315 students and staff. Some 50 students escaped shortly afterward, and until Sunday there had been no information on the whereabouts of the others, including staff and students as young as six years old.
Kidnappings for ransom by armed groups have plagued Nigeria since the 2014 abduction of 276 school girls in the town of Chibok by Boko Haram jihadists.
Nigerian president Bola Tinubu has declared a national state of emergency in the country plagued by insecurity, divided between a majority Muslim north and a majority Christian south.
He said he ordered the army and police to recruit 20,000 additional personnel.
The kidnappings come as US President Donald Trump has called the killing of Christians in Nigeria a “genocide” and threatened military intervention.