The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant-General Olufemi Oluyede, has given a one-month ultimatum to Nigerian troops to flush out bandits causing havoc in parts of Kwara and Niger states.
During his visit to the 22 Armoured Brigade at Sobi Cantonment in Ilorin, Kwara State, on Wednesday, the COAS ordered the immediate recovery of all territories under threat in Baruten and Kaiama local government areas of Kwara State, as well as the Borgu axis of the Kainji Forest in Niger State.
Speaking directly to the soldiers, Oluyede stressed that the Nigerian Army will not allow bandits or any other insurgent group to spread their operations from the North-East into the North-Central region. “No part of Nigeria will be taken over by insurgents, whether they are called bandits, Boko Haram, or by any other name,” he declared.
He continued, “You have one month from today to recover all areas affected by bandit attacks in Baruten, Kaiama, and the Kainji Forest. These territories must be brought back under our control.”
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Nigerian Army operation against bandits has become increasingly urgent following the emergence of a criminal group known as Mahmuda in Kwara State. In a recent attack on Monday, seven people were reportedly killed in Ilesha Baruba, Baruten Local Government Area.
Oluyede encouraged the troops to remain committed to their mission, saying, “You all have made promises to reclaim the territories taken by these criminals. I trust you to fulfill that promise.”
As part of efforts to boost morale, the COAS also announced several welfare improvements for soldiers, including better uniforms, feeding allowances, education, and healthcare. “We’re now supplying 100,000 uniforms every month and have approved ₦1 billion monthly to improve troop feeding. We’re also working on better accommodation for our personnel,” he revealed.
He added that his nationwide tour was aimed at ensuring the Nigerian Army stays focused on its mission to secure the country. “We’re dealing with serious national security challenges. I don’t want to see any insurgents operating within our borders after one month.”
This directive highlights the Army’s renewed focus on restoring peace and stability in the region through the fight against banditry in Kwara and Niger.
As security operations intensify, many Nigerians are hopeful that the military will succeed in flushing out these criminal elements and restoring peace to the affected communities.
The success of the Army’s one month deadline to flush out bandits will be closely watched in the weeks to come.
