President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has issued new directives to the Nigerian Armed Forces, mandating a comprehensive security cordon around forests in Kwara, Kebbi, and parts of Niger State in response to a surge in kidnappings and terrorist activities.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Chief Sunday Dare, announced the orders on Tuesday via his verified X handle, @SundayDareSD. He said the President had instructed the Nigerian Air Force to intensify and expand air surveillance “across the innermost parts of the forests” where criminal groups are believed to be operating.
Under the directive, the Nigerian Air Force is to maintain a continuous 24-hour aerial watch over the affected areas and coordinate its operations with ground troops already involved in rescue missions and counter-terrorism efforts.
“The same level of operational intensity will be replicated along the Kebbi–Niger corridor, where multiple rescue operations are currently underway,” the Presidential aide added.
The directive follows a concerning rise in insecurity across the North-Central and North-West regions, including last week’s abduction of worshippers in Eruku, Kwara State, and a series of assaults in parts of Kebbi and Niger, which have heightened national concern.
While several abducted victims have been rescued through military operations, security agencies continue to search for others believed to be held deep in the forests.
President Tinubu, who has been receiving constant updates from frontline commanders, reportedly instructed that all military and security formations adopt an “all-out, no-retreat posture” until the perpetrators are neutralised and every abducted citizen is safely recovered.
The Presidential Adviser also urged residents in the affected states to provide timely intelligence on unusual movements, gatherings, or suspicious activities to support ongoing military operations and enhance the effectiveness of the intensified security measures.
In addition to the new military directives, President Tinubu ordered the immediate withdrawal of police officers assigned to VIPs, directing that they be redeployed to strengthen frontline security operations and reinforce community protection across the affected regions.
The renewed security push coincides with the Federal Government’s deepened counter-terrorism efforts across multiple hotspots in the North-Central and North-West regions.
In recent months, security agencies have escalated joint operations, combining air power, ground troop deployments, and community-based intelligence to dismantle criminal networks responsible for kidnappings, banditry, and rural assaults.
