- DHQ Reveals Nigeria-U.S. Joint Strikes Killed 175 ISIS Terrorists, Key ISWAP Leaders
- Denies Existense Of Permanent Terrorist Base In South-West, Says School Attack An Isolated Event
- Police Debunk Claims Of Fresh School Attack In Oyo
The Nigerian military has intensified its nationwide offensive against terrorists, bandits, kidnappers, and other criminal elements as security forces ramp up coordinated operations across troubled regions of the country.
In an expose on Tuesday, the Defence Headquarters revealed that Nigeria and the United States joint airstrikes had killed 175 Islamic State fighters in the country’s northeast.
In a statement signed by the Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, it said the operations inflicted what it described as a “devastating blow” on terrorist networks operating within the region, with several strategic targets destroyed during the offensive.
An AFRICOM spokesman confirmed the toll of 175 among the jihadists.
AFRICOM commander General Dagvin Anderson told a Congressional hearing in Washington that Nigeria had been “instrumental throughout the last several months, developing the target, helping us with the intelligence, and providing support”.
US and Nigerian forces killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, an IS leader described as the “most active terrorist” in the world, at a remote village in the northeast last weekend.
As director of global operations for IS, the slain al-Minuki provided strategic guidance on media and financial operations and “the development and manufacturing of weapons, explosives and drones”, according to the Nigerian military and the US Africa Command (AFRICOM).
According to Tuesday’s military statement, the operations in the last few days have killed other key IS figures.
They include Abd-al Wahhab, said to be a “senior leader” of ISWAP, “responsible for coordinating attacks and distributing propaganda”.
Abu Musa al-Mangawi was said to be a high-ranking ISWAP member, while Abu al-Muthanna al-Muhajir was a “senior media production team manager and close confidant to al-Minuki”.
Continuing, DHQ said the recent attacks in Oyo state are isolated criminal incidents and do not indicate the presence of an established terrorist network in the region.
Uba noted that previous military clearance operations in the Old Oyo National Park had significantly weakened criminal groups operating in the area.
He said intelligence assessments have shown that there is no permanent terrorist base within the forests or hinterlands of the south-west.
“It is pertinent to state that the incident was an isolated criminal act and does not reflect the existence of any entrenched terrorist structure in the region, as the Armed Forces had earlier conducted a comprehensive clearance operation of the Old Oyo National Park, effectively neutralising the operational capacity of criminal elements within that corridor,” the statement reads.
“Current intelligence assessments do not support the conclusion that any structured or permanent terrorist base exists within the forests or hinterlands of the South West region.
“Criminal elements, however audacious their recent activities, do not constitute an established insurgent presence, and the defence headquarters cautions against narratives that may cause unnecessary public panic or embolden adversaries by overstating their capabilities.”
Uba assured families of the abducted victims that the military remained committed to ensuring their safe and unconditional release.
According to him, troops are currently carrying out search-and-rescue operations across forested areas of the state in collaboration with other security agencies and local vigilante groups.
“The joint effort with all security agencies and local vigilantes will ensure that the forest is thoroughly cleared of criminal elements and that lasting peace is restored to the region,” he said.
“The Armed Forces of Nigeria will not relent until every abducted victim is safely recovered, the criminal networks responsible are dismantled, and normalcy is fully restored across the South West and indeed all of Nigeria.”
Meanqhile, the Oyo state police command has refuted claims of a bandit attack in Ogbomoso and its environs on Tuesday.
Panic spread across parts of Ogbomoso and neighbouring communities, including Ajaawa Town, following rumours alleging that armed bandits had attacked the area and invaded the vicinity of Are-Ago High School in Ogbomoso.
In one of the viral videos circulating on X, many students and traders were seen fleeing their schools and business areas over fears of a fresh attack.
In a statement on its X page, the police said the command immediately deployed surveillance and patrol teams to the scene to ascertain the true situation and prevent any breakdown of law and order.
“Upon arrival at the location, operatives met with the school principal, Mrs. Akanbi Ruth, who explained that the alarm originated from information allegedly circulated among some students who claimed that certain unfamiliar individuals had been sighted behind the school fence,” the statement reads.
“This naturally raised suspicion among some teachers and students, prompting immediate concern within the school environment.”
The police said preliminary investigations later showed that the individuals involved were an officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) attached to the Kwara State Command, alongside two civilians found in a Toyota Venza SUV.
The command said the individuals explained during questioning that they had only visited the lady among them in celebration of her birthday, while relevant NSCDC authorities in Ogbomoso were contacted to verify the identity and status of the officer involved.
According to the police, an altercation occurred between some teachers and the visitors, a situation which inadvertently heightened suspicion within the school premises.
“Consequently, some students began spreading unverified claims to neighbouring schools and surrounding communities, thereby escalating panic and tension across parts of Ogbomoso and Ajaawa Town before the actual facts of the incident were established,” the police said.
In response, the command said patrols and visibility policing around the affected communities were immediately intensified, while critical stakeholders were engaged to reassure residents and restore public confidence.
The command added that normal academic, commercial, and social activities have since resumed in the area.
The command warned against the deliberate spread of fake news, misinformation, and unverified security reports capable of causing unnecessary panic, heightening tension, and undermining public peace.
“The dissemination of false information, particularly on security-related matters, has the potential to create avoidable chaos, disrupt socio-economic activities, and negatively affect the collective security efforts being sustained across the state,” the statement added.
The police urged members of the public, especially youths and social media users, to refrain from forwarding or amplifying unconfirmed reports without proper verification from appropriate security agencies.
“Individuals found deliberately peddling fake news or spreading false information intended to incite fear or public disorder will be investigated and prosecuted in accordance with the law,” the statement added.
