Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, has flagged off Operation Savannah Shield, a fresh military campaign designed to clamp down on escalating insecurity across Kwara and parts of Niger State.
The operation was formally launched at the 22 Armoured Brigade, Sobi Barracks in Ilorin, amid mounting alarm over the infiltration of terrorist elements from the Sahel region into local communities through the Kainji axis — a corridor that security officials say has become a dangerous gateway for armed groups threatening national stability.
General Oluyede said the operation will prioritise reclaiming communities overrun by criminal elements, closing security gaps in forests and ungoverned territories, and restoring law and order. He added that the military will deploy both combat-based and non-combat strategies, blending direct military action with grassroots community engagement to build lasting peace. Residents were also urged to support troops by sharing timely and credible information to strengthen intelligence operations.
Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, who welcomed the military intervention, thanked President Bola Tinubu for greenlighting the operation. The governor acknowledged that while security conditions in Kwara South have shown some improvement, communities in Kwara North remain under serious threat from terrorist activities. He expressed hope that the initiative would allow residents to go about their daily lives without living in constant fear.
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