President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed nonstop aerial monitoring over forests in Kwara, Kebbi, and Niger States as part of an intensified effort to curb the rise in kidnappings and violent attacks across the region.
The President’s media aide, Sunday Dare, said the Nigerian Air Force has been tasked with extending patrols into the deepest parts of the forests, areas believed to harbor armed groups. The air operations are to coordinate closely with ground forces already conducting rescue and counter-terrorism missions.
The order comes in the wake of several recent security incidents, including the mass abduction of worshippers in Eruku, Kwara State, and coordinated attacks in Kebbi and Niger. While some victims have been rescued, authorities warn that others may still be held in remote forest hideouts.
Dare noted that Tinubu has instructed security commanders to pursue an “all-out, no-retreat” strategy until the networks behind the attacks are dismantled and all abducted persons are recovered. Communities in the affected states have been urged to provide timely information that could support the intensified operations.