President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has issued a sweeping new directive to the Armed Forces, ordering a continuous 24-hour aerial surveillance and a tightened security cordon over forests in Kwara, Kebbi and parts of Niger State following a surge in kidnappings and terrorist attacks across the region.
The announcement was made on Tuesday by the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, Chief Sunday Dare, who disclosed the order via his verified X handle, @SundayDareSD. He revealed that Tinubu has mandated the Nigerian Air Force to expand its reconnaissance missions “across the innermost parts of the forests” where armed groups are believed to be operating from.
Under the directive, the Air Force is to maintain uninterrupted aerial watch over the troubled zones while synchronising real-time intelligence and strike operations with ground troops currently engaged in rescue missions and counter-terrorism operations. The Kebbi–Niger corridor, where several rescue operations are underway, is expected to witness the same level of operational intensity.
The President’s action follows a worrying escalation of insecurity in the North-Central and North-West regions, including the recent mass abduction of worshippers in Eruku, Kwara State, and a series of attacks in parts of Kebbi and Niger that have triggered widespread concern and calls for firmer federal intervention.
Although many victims have been rescued in recent operations, security agencies say several others remain in captivity, believed to be held deep inside forested enclaves that serve as staging grounds for criminal networks.
President Tinubu, who has been receiving detailed updates from frontline commanders, has reportedly insisted on an “all-out, no-retreat posture” until the perpetrators are neutralised and every abducted citizen is safely rescued.
Communities in the affected states have also been urged to provide timely intelligence on suspicious movements, gatherings or activities that could assist security forces in the intensified offensive.
This fresh directive comes on the heels of several recent security measures, including the President’s weekend order withdrawing police escorts from VIPs to reinforce community-level policing, and earlier decisions to strengthen joint operations across the northern region.
Security analysts say the new full-spectrum cordon represents one of the boldest federal responses yet to the growing wave of rural and peri-urban insecurity, signalling the administration’s resolve to restore stability and send a clear warning to armed groups tormenting local communities.