COAS Orders Sustained Military Offensive to Flush Bandits from South-West Forests
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has ordered a decisive and sustained military crackdown on bandits, kidnappers and other criminal elements operating across forests and hinterlands in the South-West.
The directive was issued on Monday during the Army Chief’s maiden operational visit to the Headquarters of 2 Division, Nigerian Army, at Odogbo Barracks, Ibadan, where he addressed officers and soldiers deployed within the Division’s Area of Responsibility.
“I have been thoroughly briefed on your operations and the remarkable successes you have recorded,” Shaibu told the troops.
“I commend your efforts and urge you to sustain the momentum. Go after the kidnappers and other miscreants wherever they are—whether in the bushes, forests or their hideouts—and ensure these criminal activities are reduced to the barest minimum.”
The Army Chief praised personnel of 2 Division for their resilience, professionalism and operational effectiveness in confronting banditry, kidnapping and other security threats across the South-West, stressing that the Nigerian Army would not relent until criminal networks were dismantled.
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Shaibu also reassured the troops of his commitment to their welfare, describing morale as a critical factor in operational success. He disclosed that approvals had been granted for the renovation of existing accommodation and the construction of new residential facilities within Odogbo Barracks and other locations under the Division.
“Troop welfare remains a top priority under my command philosophy,” the COAS said, while urging soldiers to properly maintain existing facilities to ensure a conducive living and operational environment.
The visit underscores the Nigerian Army’s renewed resolve to intensify offensive operations against criminal elements, particularly in forested areas increasingly exploited by bandits and kidnappers as hideouts.
According to a statement signed by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, the COAS’ directive reflects the Army’s determination to decisively degrade criminal capabilities and restore security across the South-West and other parts of the country.
The Nigerian Army, the statement added, remains committed to its constitutional mandate of safeguarding lives and property, while sustaining pressure on criminal elements through intelligence-driven and coordinated operations.
By PRNigeria
