COAS urges troops to crush banditry in North Central
Abdullateef Fowewe
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has charged troops of Joint Task Force North Central (JTF‑NC) Operation SAVANNAH SHIELD (OPSS) to intensify ongoing operations aimed at decisively routing kidnappers, bandits, and other criminal elements threatening peace and security within the Joint Operations Area.
This was made known in a statement obtained from the Nigerian Army on Thursday.
Speaking during his maiden operational visit to Sobi Barracks, Ilorin, the COAS told soldiers at the JTF‑NC headquarters in Kwara State that the Nigerian Army remains “resolute in its constitutional responsibility of safeguarding lives and property.”
He said troops have sustained operational momentum to deny criminal elements “the freedom to terrorize innocent citizens, infiltrate communities, or undermine national security.”
Lieutenant General Shaibu assured personnel that “requisite combat enablers and operational resources are being deployed to enhance ongoing clearance operations and dismantle criminal hideouts across Kwara and Niger States.”
He also reaffirmed his commitment to troop welfare, stressing that improved welfare is critical to sustaining morale, operational effectiveness, and combat readiness.
The COAS urged soldiers to remain “disciplined, professional, and unwaveringly loyal to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the democratically elected government.”
Major General Y. Yahaya, Theatre Commander of JTF (North Central) OPSS, thanked the COAS for his “timely interventions, strategic leadership, and sustained support” and promised that the force would remain “committed, professional, and steadfast” in restoring lasting peace and stability to the region.
