In response to the recent surge in kidnappings and terrorist attacks in parts of North-Central and North-West Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has issued decisive directives for a full security cordon over forests in Kwara, Kebbi, and parts of Niger State.
Chief Sunday Dare, the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, announced on Tuesday via his verified X handle (@SundayDareSD) that the Nigerian Air Force has been tasked with expanding aerial surveillance “across the innermost parts of the forests” where criminal groups are believed to be hiding.
Under the new directive, the Air Force is to maintain uninterrupted 24-hour monitoring over the troubled zones, synchronizing operations with ground troops already deployed for rescue missions and counter-terrorism operations. The same operational intensity is being applied along the Kebbi–Niger corridor, where multiple ongoing rescue efforts are focused.
The measures come amid escalating insecurity, including the mass abduction of worshippers in Eruku, Kwara State, and violent attacks in parts of Kebbi and Niger, which have raised national concerns. While several victims have been rescued, security agencies continue to work to free others believed to be held deep inside forested areas.
President Tinubu, receiving continuous updates from frontline commanders, has insisted that all military and security formations adopt an “all-out, no-retreat posture” until every perpetrator is neutralized and abducted citizens are safely returned.
Communities in the affected states have also been urged to provide timely intelligence on unusual gatherings or suspicious activities to support the intensified operations. This directive complements recent security measures, including the withdrawal of police escorts from VIPs to reinforce community-level policing and earlier joint operations across the North.
Security analysts describe the new full-spectrum cordon as one of the federal government’s most aggressive responses to rural and peri-urban insecurity, signaling the administration’s commitment to restoring stability and sending a stern warning to armed groups terrorizing communities.
