The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has attributed the recent abduction incident in Oyo State to terrorists displaced from other regions of the country following intensified military offensives.
Reacting to reports surrounding comments allegedly made by the military on the classification of criminal elements operating in the South-West, the DHQ described some publications as misleading and mischievous.
In a statement issued on Thursday by the Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Michael Onoja, the military clarified that the attackers responsible for the Oyo kidnapping were members of the Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS) terrorist group who had been forced out of their former strongholds due to sustained military operations nationwide.
According to the statement, “The recent incidence of kidnap in Oyo State was clearly perpetrated by terrorists of the JAS Group that have been dislodged from other parts of the country due to high-intensity operations being conducted all over.”
The DHQ rejected interpretations suggesting it had downplayed the activities of terrorists in the South-West by referring to them as ordinary criminals.
“It is, therefore, inaccurate and misleading to suggest that the Defence Headquarters, at any point, referred to vicious and violent terrorists as criminals,” Onoja stated.
The military explained that its earlier comments on security developments in the South-West were intended to provide intelligence-based clarification and prevent the spread of misinformation capable of creating panic among residents.
It further reaffirmed the commitment of the Armed Forces of Nigeria to safeguarding democratic institutions and supporting constitutional governance across the country.
“At no time did the Defence Headquarters undermine the authority of any democratically elected leader or seek to diminish the gravity of the heinous crime committed against innocent citizens by terrorist elements,” the statement added.
The DHQ also disclosed that troops had remained actively deployed in affected communities in collaboration with other security agencies and local stakeholders to dismantle terrorist and criminal networks threatening national security.
“The Armed Forces of Nigeria remain resolute in dismantling all criminal and terrorist networks threatening the peace, stability and unity of the nation,” the military said.
The clarification followed the recent attack on communities in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, where armed men abducted pupils, teachers and residents from Community High School, Ahoro-Esinle.
The attack reportedly claimed several lives. One of the abducted teachers, Michael Oyedokun, was later confirmed dead after a video linked to the incident surfaced online.
