Army Chief Gives Troops One Month Marching Order To Flush Out Bandits In Niger, Kwara

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, has issued a stern directive to Nigerian Army troops to flush out bandits terrorising parts of Kwara and Niger States within one month.
Oluyede gave the marching order on Wednesday while addressing soldiers at the 22 Armoured Brigade, Sobi Cantonment in Ilorin, Kwara State.
The targeted areas include Baruten and Kaiama Local Government Areas in Kwara and parts of Borgu in the Kainji forest region of Niger State.
“The Nigerian Army will not allow the insurgency in the North-East to escalate to the North-Central,” Oluyede said.
“It is our responsibility to protect the territorial integrity of this country. No part of Nigeria will be allowed to fall into the hands of insurgents, bandits, or any group seeking to disrupt our national unity,” he added.
Inspecting the military guard of honour, the Army Chief stated, “I’m giving you one month to recover all territories in Baruten, Kaiama and Kainji forest. The bandits must be flushed out. I don’t want to see any of them within our borders after the deadline.”
He assured troops of continued improvements in welfare, including better uniforms, feeding, and access to education and professional development.
“We’ve started monthly production of 100,000 uniforms and allocated N1bn monthly to improve troops feeding. We’re also working on enhancing accommodation for soldiers. I want to see our soldiers rise to become doctors, engineers, and other professionals,” Oluyede stated.
This directive came in the wake of recent deadly attacks by an unidentified armed group, reportedly called Mahmuda, in Baruten LGA. At least seven people were killed in Ilesha Baruba on Monday, sparking concerns among residents.
The Army chief emphasised that his nationwide tour aimed to strengthen military readiness and reclaim security across all regions.