The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, has directed troops operating under the Joint Task Force North Central, Operation Savannah Shield, to step up and sustain aggressive military operations against bandits, kidnappers, and other armed criminal groups destabilising the region.
Shaibu issued the directive on Thursday during his first operational visit to the headquarters of the Joint Task Force in the North Central zone, held at Sobi Barracks in Ilorin, Kwara State.
According to a statement released by the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, the Army Chief reaffirmed that the Nigerian Army remains firmly committed to its constitutional mandate of protecting lives and property across the country.
He charged the troops to sustain ongoing offensives and intensify pressure on criminal networks in order to completely dislodge them from their hideouts and deny them freedom of operation.
Shaibu stressed that the military must not allow criminals to continue terrorising innocent citizens, infiltrating communities, or undermining national security, noting that current operations must be maintained and expanded for greater impact.
He further assured the troops that Army Headquarters would continue to provide additional combat equipment and operational support to strengthen clearance missions across affected areas, particularly in Kwara and Niger State.
The COAS also emphasised the importance of troop welfare, stating that improved conditions of service and support for families remain central to sustaining morale, discipline, and operational effectiveness in the field.
He urged personnel to remain professional, loyal to the Constitution, and committed to the authority of the democratically elected government.
In his remarks, the Theatre Commander of Operation Savannah Shield, Major General Y. Yahaya, commended the COAS for his leadership and continued backing of operations in the region.
Yahaya assured that troops under the joint task force would remain focused and resolute in their mission to restore lasting peace and stability across the North Central theatre of operations.