Tinubu to abandon Nigeria for visit to South Africa, Angola despite kidnapping of 25 schoolgirls, brigadier general’s murder

Mr Onanuga said in a statement on Tuesday that Mr Tinubu will first visit Johannesburg, South Africa, before proceeding to Angola.

Ahmed Oluwasanjo • November 18, 2025

President Bola Tinubu [Credit: The Guardian ]

President Bola Tinubu will on Wednesday leave Abuja for visits to South Africa and Angola barely 48 hours after Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists executed Brigadier-General M. Uba in Borno and rampaging bandits abducted 25 schoolgirls in Kebbi State.

Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga said in a statement on Tuesday that Mr Tinubu will first visit Johannesburg, South Africa, before proceeding to Angola.

“President Tinubu’s first stop is Johannesburg, where he will attend the 20th summit of the G20 Leaders. After the summit, he will proceed to Angola for the AU-EU summit,” Mr Onanuga said.

He said Mr Tinubu will attend a summit, scheduled to be held from Saturday, November 22, to Sunday, November 23, at the Johannesburg Expo Centre.

The presidential aide said the summit will bring together leaders from the world’s top 20 economies, including the European Union, the African Union, and financial institutions.

He added, “At the conclusion of the G20 Summit, the Nigerian president will join other heads of state and government from the African Union (AU) and the European Union (EU) for the 7th meeting of the two bodies, scheduled to take place from November 24 to 25, 2025, in Luanda, Angola.”

Mr Tinubu will be accompanied by top government officials, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar; Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; Minister of Solid Minerals, Dele Alake; Minister of Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole; and the director-general of the National Intelligence Agency, Mohammed Mohammed.

Meanwhile, the trips come as abducted schoolgirls are yet to be rescued by Nigerian security forces.

Mr Tinubu, in a statement by the minister of information and national orientation, Mohammed Idris, on Monday, vowed to rescue the abducted schoolgirls.

Hours after the violent kidnapping of 25 schoolgirls in Kebbi on Monday, Nigeria’s ruling party, led by Vice-President Kashim Shettima, gathered together to celebrate in Kogi.

The mass abduction evoked memories of the 2014 kidnapping of Chibok schoolgirls by the ruthless Boko Haram terrorists.

We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.