Troops are recording major progress in efforts to rescue the 39 pupils and seven teachers abducted from Oyo State, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, has said.
Shaibu spoke on Saturday in Port Harcourt during an interactive session with media executives, held as part of activities marking the 2026 Nigerian Army Day Celebration.
The victims were seized on May 15 from three schools in Orire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
“Operations are currently ongoing to rescue those children abducted in Oyo State, and we are making tremendous progress,” the army chief said, adding that he was confident the operation would end with the safe return of the victims to their families.
He said the Nigerian Army remained active across the country’s six geopolitical zones to tackle evolving security threats.
On the North East, Shaibu said troops under Operation Hadin Kai had achieved major successes against insurgents, including the recent elimination of a high-profile Islamic State commander, Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, in a joint operation with US partners. He said the operation had neutralised over 1,872 insurgents in total, with many terrorists surrendering to troops. Improved security, he added, had allowed displaced persons to return home, pointing to the recent closure of an IDP camp in Bama, Borno State.
In the North West, Operation Fansan Yamma continued to weaken bandit groups through the elimination of criminal elements and recovery of weapons, he said.
He also cited gains in the North Central region through Operations Enduring Freedom, Whirlwind, and the newly launched Operation Savannah Shield, which he said had strengthened security in Plateau, Benue, Nasarawa, Kwara, Niger, and parts of Kogi State.
On the South East, Shaibu said the security situation had improved significantly, with no disruptions recorded during the last Christmas celebrations. He added that in the South South, the nation’s oil output had risen, a result he linked to successful operations against illegal bunkering, crude oil theft, and pipeline vandalism.
He described the South West as one of the most peaceful regions in the country, aside from the recent Oyo abduction.
Shaibu further disclosed that the Federal Government had approved measures to strengthen the military’s workforce. President Bola Tinubu, he said, had approved a new Nigerian Army Depot in Amasiri-Edda, Ebonyi State, bringing the total number of army depots to three, alongside existing ones in Zaria, Kaduna State, and Osogbo, Osun State. The three depots, he said, are expected to train 28,000 new recruits.
“So far, the Zaria depot has graduated 6,000 soldiers, Osogbo has graduated 5,000, while Amasiri-Edda will soon graduate 3,000, bringing the total to 14,000,” he said.
He added that the Army had revised its training curriculum to emphasise marksmanship, counter-insurgency, and counter-terrorism, with recruits now undergoing about 11 months of intensive training, including advanced infantry and acclimatisation exercises.
The Army had also acquired armoured personnel carriers, mine-resistant vehicles, and drones to boost operational effectiveness, Shaibu said, noting that personnel had received specialised training locally and abroad to operate the new equipment.
“The acquisition of armed and surveillance drones, alongside enhanced aviation capabilities, has improved response times and operational success across theatres of operation,” he said.
He reaffirmed the Army’s commitment to protecting the country and responding to emerging security threats.
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