The Presidency has blamed the latest kidnappings in the North on political forces in the northern region plotting to destabilise the country under President Bola Tinubu’s watch. 

Presidential spokesman Ajuri Ngelale disclosed this in an interview with TVC on Sunday night. 

Asked how soon Mr Tinubu’s government will curtail the resurgence of mass schoolchildren abductions witnessed in Kaduna and Sokoto last week, Mr Ngelale said much work had gone into securing the country, resulting in relative stability in the South-East.

“Where we still have some challenges is in the North-Central, North-West and to a large extent in the North-East. There is still a lot of work to be done,” Mr Ngelale said. 

He added, “I will say this: across the North, we understand that some of the sub-regional geopolitical forces that are currently at play are actively conspiring against the stability of the Nigerian nation.”

The presidential media aide did not state specifically who the “sub-regional geopolitical forces” are.

However, Mr Ngelale revealed that the U.S. government was collaborating with Nigerian authorities to secure the rescue of over 280 schoolchildren kidnapped in Kaduna.

“It is worth noting that the United States government has also pledged its assistance to ensure that there is a full return of all of the schoolchildren who were kidnapped recently in Kaduna,” Mr Ngelale said.

He stressed that the point “is we are going to continue to intensify our collaboration not just within the region, but internationally to make sure that some of the regional actors that are conspiring against our nation are brought to justice and ultimately silenced in the future.” 

Mr Tinubu had condemned the kidnappings, charging security agencies to rescue the schoolchildren and others. 

Amnesty International and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party berated Mr Tinubu for failing in its basic responsibility of securing life and property while calling for the rescue of abducted citizens.

Mr Ngelale’s statement attributing waves of kidnappings in Borno, Kaduna and Sokoto that left over 300 people abducted last week to political forces in Northern Nigeria contradicts facts on the ground.