The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has attributed the recent kidnapping incident in Oyo State to terrorist elements allegedly displaced from other regions of the country due to ongoing intensified military operations.
The military made the clarification in a statement released on Thursday by the Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj Gen Michael Onoja, while responding to what it described as misleading reports about earlier comments on the classification of criminal groups operating in the South-West.
According to the DHQ, the attackers responsible for the abduction in Oyo were members of the Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS) faction who had been pushed out of their previous strongholds following sustained military pressure across the country.
The statement explained that continued military offensives had forced these groups to relocate and carry out attacks in other parts of the country.
The DHQ also reiterated that the Armed Forces of Nigeria remain committed to supporting democratic governance and protecting national institutions, stressing that it has never sought to undermine any elected authority or downplay the severity of crimes committed by terrorist groups.
It further stated that troops remain actively deployed in affected areas in coordination with other security agencies and local stakeholders, with the aim of dismantling terrorist and criminal networks threatening peace and stability.
The clarification comes after recent attacks in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, where armed assailants abducted pupils, teachers, and residents from Community High School, Ahoro-Esinle. The attack also reportedly led to casualties, including the killing of a teacher, Michael Oyedokun, following the circulation of a video linked to the incident.
Authorities say operations are ongoing to track and neutralize the perpetrators.
