Abuja, Nigeria: Nigeria's defence minister has resigned, the presidency said on Monday, as the country reeled from a security crisis including mass kidnappings of schoolchildren.
The departure of Mohammed Badaru Abubakar came after President Bola Tinubu declared a "nationwide security emergency" last week as the country scrambled to respond to a wave of mass kidnappings that have seen hundreds of people, mostly schoolchildren, captured within days last month.
Tinubu's spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, said in a statement that Abubakar, 63, was quitting with immediate effect, on health grounds.
"His resignation comes amid President Tinubu's declaration of a national security emergency, with plans to elaborate on its scope in due course," the spokesman said.
Africa's most populous country has long experienced insecurity but the spate of abductions recently has left it scrambling.
Armed gangs seized more than 300 teachers and staff at St. Mary's co-education school in north-central Nigeria on November 21. Fifty escaped but the rest are still in captivity.
"The children are fine and will be back soon," National security adviser Nuhu Ribadu, was quoted as saying during a high-profile visit with school officials in the town of Kontagora, in central Niger state.
In the wake of the kidnappings, the country's president declared emergency, and ordered mass recruitment of police and military personnel.
