…says attackers were JAS terrorists fleeing intensified operations in other parts of the country
Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has said the recent kidnapping incident in Oyo State was carried out by terrorists displaced from other regions following intensified military operations across the country.
In a statement released on Thursday, the military high command dismissed reports suggesting it described terrorists operating in the South-West as ordinary criminals, calling such claims misleading and inaccurate.
The statement, signed by the Director of Defence Media Operations, Michael Onoja, explained that the attackers responsible for the Oyo abduction were members of the Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad, also known as JAS.
According to the DHQ, the group had been forced out of other parts of the country due to ongoing high-intensity military operations.
The military insisted it never referred to violent terrorists as mere criminals and said its earlier comments on security issues in the South-West were aimed at providing accurate intelligence and preventing misinformation among residents.
The statement also stressed that the Armed Forces of Nigeria remained committed to defending democratic institutions and supporting constitutional governance.
The DHQ added that troops were still actively deployed in affected areas in collaboration with other security agencies and local stakeholders to dismantle terrorist and criminal networks threatening national security.
The clarification comes after recent attacks in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, where armed men abducted pupils, teachers and residents from Community High School, Ahoro-Esinle.
Several people reportedly lost their lives during the attack, while one of the abducted teachers, Michael Oyedokun, was later killed after a video linked to the incident surfaced online.