Nigerian leader postpones G-20 trip amid crisis

President's decision follows the abduction of 24 schoolgirls by gunmen on Monday.

- BY TUNDE OMOLEHIN AND DYEPKAZAH SHIBAYAN

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu was scheduled to be at the Group of 20 summit in Johannesburg this weekend.

(OLAMIKAN GBEMIGA Associated Press)

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 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 G-20 summit, Onanuga said.

It wasn't immediately clear if or when Tinubu would leave for the summit, which runs Saturday and Sunday in Johannesburg.

The girls were kidnapped from their dormitory before dawn on Monday, when gunmen attacked their boarding school, the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, in the town of Maga in Nigeria's Kebbi state.