President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has issued new offensive directives to the Armed Forces, ordering a comprehensive security cordon around forested areas in Kwara, Kebbi, and parts of Niger State following a recent surge in kidnappings and terrorist activity.
The directive was disclosed on Tuesday by the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, Chief Sunday Dare, in a statement posted on his verified X handle. According to Dare, President Tinubu has instructed the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to intensify aerial surveillance “across the innermost parts of the forests,” believed to be hideouts for criminal groups.
Under the new order, the Air Force is to maintain uninterrupted 24-hour aerial patrols over the troubled zones. These operations are to be fully synchronized with ground troops currently engaged in rescue missions and counter-terrorism actions. Dare noted that the same level of operational pressure is to be applied across the Kebbi–Niger axis, where multiple rescue operations remain active.
The President’s directive comes amid a disturbing escalation of insecurity in the North-Central and North-West regions, including last week’s mass abduction of worshippers in Eruku, Kwara State, and a series of attacks in parts of Kebbi and Niger that have sparked nationwide concern.
While several victims have been successfully rescued in recent joint operations, security agencies are still working to free others believed to be held deep within the forested enclaves.
President Tinubu, who has been receiving continuous briefings from frontline commanders, was said to have ordered that all available assets—air and ground—be deployed to ensure a swift and decisive response.
