By Fatima Saka
Abuja — The Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) have vowed a sustained and relentless military pursuit of criminals behind the recent kidnapping attack in Oyo State, assuring families of abducted victims that ongoing operations are focused on securing their safe rescue.
The assurance was given on Tuesday by the Director of Defence Media Operations, Michael Onoja, who expressed sympathy to the affected families and described the attack as a direct affront to national security and the peace of law-abiding citizens.
According to him, the military has already deployed advanced aerial surveillance platforms alongside specialised ground troops to the affected area, in close coordination with state security authorities. He added that early operational actions have begun generating actionable intelligence to guide rescue and tracking missions.
“Proactive operational steps are already yielding valuable intelligence, and troops will maintain a relentless posture until the perpetrators are brought to book and the region’s security is fully restored,” Onoja said.
He reaffirmed that the Armed Forces remain fully committed to protecting civilian lives and dismantling all criminal networks responsible for kidnappings and violent attacks across the country.
Nationwide Military Pressure Intensifies
The briefing also provided a broad update on ongoing military operations nationwide between March and May 2026, revealing significant gains in the fight against terrorism, banditry, oil theft, and other violent crimes.
According to the Defence Headquarters, troops recorded the neutralisation of 317 terrorists and criminal elements, the arrest of 314 suspects, and the rescue of 221 kidnapped civilians during the period under review.
The military further confirmed that 18 terrorists surrendered voluntarily, while security forces recovered 93 weapons, dismantled illegal oil refining facilities, and destroyed three illegal refining sites. A total of 21,910 litres of stolen petroleum products were also seized during operations targeting economic saboteurs.
Operational Gains and Emerging Challenges
Despite the significant successes, the Armed Forces acknowledged mixed operational outcomes within the review period. It noted a decline in arms recoveries, crude oil seizures, and destruction of illegal refining sites compared to previous months.
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However, military authorities emphasized that the rise in arrests, increased civilian rescues, and growing cases of terrorist surrender reflect sustained pressure on criminal groups and weakening insurgent capabilities.
Security Commitment Reaffirmed
The Armed Forces reiterated their commitment to maintaining offensive momentum across all theatres of operation, particularly in hotspots such as the North-East, North-West, North-Central, and South-South regions.
They also urged citizens to support security agencies with credible and timely intelligence, stressing that community cooperation remains critical to defeating kidnapping networks and restoring lasting peace.
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