The resignation of Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, who had been absent from the public eye for some time, was announced on Monday, 1 December 2025. It came just days after Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu, declared a state of emergency due to the escalating wave of kidnappings carried out by insurgents claiming to follow extremist Islamic ideologies.

A United Nations report dated 25 November 2025 indicated that since the beginning of the month, 402 people have been kidnapped in northern Nigeria. Analysts say that the country’s deteriorating economic conditions are fueling the worsening security crisis.

More than 200 students who were abducted last week from a Catholic school remain missing. Nigerian authorities have released little information regarding efforts to secure their release.

During a visit to the school by a top government official the National Security Adviser to President Tinubu alongside Catholic Church leaders, assurances were given that the abducted children will be safely returned.

President Tinubu recently ordered the recruitment of at least 50,000 police officers, along with additional military personnel, who are to be deployed to the affected regions to confront the groups responsible for the mass kidnappings.

Reuters reported that on Monday night, President Tinubu met with former Chief of Defence Staff, Retired General Christopher Musa, to discuss security concerns and the appointment of a new Defence Minister to replace the resigned Abubakar.