We’ll dismantle criminal hideouts in Kwara, Niger, COAS assures residents

• Army chief tasks troops to dominate battlespace, step up offensive in Northcentral
• AbdulRazaq okays N120m for Kaiama communities after bandit attacks

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, has assured residents of Kwara and Niger states of the Army’s determination to flush out terrorists, bandits, kidnappers and other criminals in the region.

Lt.-Gen. Shaibu gave the assurance while addressing troops of Operation Savannah Shield at Sobi Barracks, Ilorin, during his maiden visit to the theatre.

Also, Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has approved N120 million for the rehabilitation of communities affected by terrorist attacks in Kaiama Local Government Area of the state, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Mamman Saba Jibril, has said.

He made this known while speaking with The Nation in Ilorin on the state government’s response to insecurity in some parts of the state.

According to a statement, the Army spokesperson, Col. Apollonia Anele, the COAS charged troops to intensify ongoing operations and defeat criminals threatening peace and security across the joint operations area.

He said the troops should dominate the battlespace and intensify offensive operations against kidnappers, bandits and other criminal elements in the Northcentral.

He reaffirmed the Army’s commitment to its constitutional responsibility of protecting lives and property, stressing that troops had sustained operational momentum aimed at denying criminals freedom of action.

“The Nigerian Army remains resolute in decisively denying criminal elements the freedom to terrorise innocent citizens, infiltrate communities, or undermine national security,” he said.

The Army Chief further assured troops that additional combat enablers and operational resources were being deployed to strengthen ongoing clearance and dismantle criminal hideouts across Kwara and Niger states.

Shaibu also reiterated his commitment to the welfare of troops and their families, noting that improved welfare packages remained essential to boosting morale, operational efficiency and combat readiness.

He urged personnel to remain disciplined, professional and loyal to the Constitution and elected government.

Earlier, the Theatre Commander, Operation Savannah Shield, Maj.-Gen. Yakubu Yahaya, commended the COAS for his strategic leadership, timely interventions and sustained support towards enhancing the operational effectiveness of the Joint Task Force.

Yahaya assured the Army Chief that troops of the operation would remain committed and steadfast in their mandate to restore lasting peace and stability in the affected communities.

Operation Savannah Shield is one of the military’s ongoing efforts to curb bandits and terrorist groups operating around forest corridors and border communities in parts of Northcentral.

Represented by the Permanent Secretary, General Services, Shuaib Abdulganiy, the SSG of Kwara said the governor swiftly constituted a committee after the attack on Woro-Nuku communities in Kaiama Local Government Area to assess the level of damage and provide immediate relief to affected residents.

According to him, the committee, which included a monarch from the area, distributed food items, clothing and other relief materials to victims, with support from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

“Following the committee’s report, the governor approved another tranche of about N120 million for the reconstruction of affected communities, provision of boreholes, rebuilding of palaces and fumigation exercises,” Jibril said.

He noted that the intervention was aimed at restoring normalcy and encouraging displaced residents to return to their communities.

The SSG also dismissed criticisms on social media over the security situation in parts of the state, describing a viral video allegedly released by bandits in the Woro axis as a deliberate attempt to incite fear and pressure families into paying ransom.

According to him, preliminary investigations by the Department of State Services (DSS) showed possible irregularities surrounding the video.

“The footage was shown to community leaders and residents, but they could hardly identify up to five persons from their communities among those displayed,” he said.

Jibril added that many of the women and children seen in the footage spoke different languages, raising suspicion that the victims may have been drawn from different locations.

Speaking on the broader security challenge in the state, he explained that armed groups often exploit forest corridors linking Kwara, Niger and Kogi states to move across boundaries.

He said some criminals displaced from Northwest states such as Zamfara and Kebbi had infiltrated forest reserves in Kaiama, Baruten and Patigi local government areas.

The SSG said the state government had consistently engaged military authorities on the need for sustained aerial surveillance and coordinated air raids on identified criminal hideouts.

“Whenever the military conducts raids, the criminals disperse temporarily and later regroup. This underscores the need for sustained operations and the deployment of modern surveillance technology,” he added.