LAGOS, Dec 2 (Reuters) - Nigeria's defence minister has resigned, citing health reasons, President Bola Tinubu's office said, as the West African country faces a surge in mass kidnappings that have put a spotlight on the government's efforts to tackle rising violence.
The departure of Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, who had not been seen in public in recent weeks, was announced late on Monday, only days after Tinubu declared a security emergency in response to mass kidnappings by armed gangs and attacks by Islamist militants in northern Nigeria.
The United Nations said in a report on November 25 that at least 402 people have been abducted since mid-November in northern Nigeria, while analysts warn that economic hardship and weak governance are fuelling insecurity.
More than 200 students abducted from a Catholic school over a week ago are still missing. Nigerian authorities have given few details about any rescue efforts.
In the first high profile visit to the school, Tinubu's national security adviser met school and church officials and promised to bring the students back safely.
Tinubu has ordered the recruitment of 50,000 police officers, more army enlistment, the redeployment of VIP police to frontline duties and the deployment of forest guards to flush out armed gangs, which are known locally as bandits.
Tinubu met former defence chief, retired General Christopher Musa on Monday night, sparking speculation among security analysts that he could be tapped to replace Abubakar.
Cheta Nwanze, partner at consultancy SBM Intelligence said insecurity in the wider Sahel region was spilling into Nigeria.
"The implication is not just a change in personnel, but a glaring reminder of the need for a fundamentally new, community-trusted approach to security that addresses both internal governance and regional threats," said Nwanze.
Nigeria is under scrutiny from U.S. President Donald Trump, who last month threatened military action over the treatment of Christians in the country. Nigeria says claims that Christians face persecution misrepresent a complex security situation and do not take into account efforts to safeguard religious freedom.
Washington is considering actions including sanctions and engagement on counterterrorism, a senior U.S. State Department official said on November 20.
(Reporting by Ahmed Kingimi, Writing by Ben Ezeamalu, Editing by Alexander Smith)
