The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has dismissed reports claiming terrorists have established operational bases in Nigeria’s South-West region, insisting that recent attacks in Oyo State were isolated criminal incidents and not signs of an insurgency in the area.
The clarification followed the recent abduction of students and teachers during attacks on schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, which raised concerns over possible terrorist activities in the region.
Speaking on the development, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, said current intelligence does not support claims of any “established or structured terrorist base” in the South-West. He stated that the Oyo incident “remains an isolated criminal act and does not indicate the presence of an entrenched insurgent structure in the region.”
Onoja explained that the military had earlier carried out clearance operations in the Old Oyo National Park, where criminal elements operating within the area were dislodged and neutralised. According to him, although criminal groups may still launch attacks, such incidents should not be interpreted as evidence of a full terrorist network in the South-West.
The DHQ also assured Nigerians that troops are actively pursuing the abductors and working to rescue all victims. Onoja said, “The full weight of the Armed Forces is being brought to bear to ensure the safe return of all abducted victims.”
He further urged Nigerians to remain calm and avoid spreading narratives capable of creating panic or emboldening criminal elements, stressing that security agencies remain fully committed to restoring peace in the affected communities.