“We will reclaim every community from fear” — CDS flags off operation savannah shield in Kwara

Operation Savannah Shield officially commenced in Kwara State on Thursday as security chiefs vowed to flush out terrorists, kidnappers, and other criminal elements from the state and neighbouring areas.

The joint security offensive was flagged off at the Sobi Barracks in Ilorin by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq alongside the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede, and the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu.

The operation, approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu following recent deadly attacks in Kaiama and parts of Niger State, is a coordinated effort involving the Army, Navy, and Air Force to restore peace across Kwara and adjoining communities.

Speaking during the flag-off, the CDS assured residents that the military is determined to reclaim all troubled areas from criminal control.

“We will reclaim every community from fear and criminality,” General Oluyede declared, describing Operation Savannah Shield as a structured and sustained campaign rather than a temporary surge.

He said the joint task force would cover the entire Kwara State and parts of Niger State, with a primary mandate to secure lives and property, neutralise terrorist and criminal elements, disrupt kidnapping networks, and restore law and order.

According to him, the operation will be intelligence-driven, community-focused, and inter-agency in execution, combining kinetic and non-kinetic strategies.

“Our synergy will ensure unity of efforts, optimal use of resources and sustained operational momentum. Special attention will be given to forested and ungoverned spaces, particularly around the Kainji Lake National Park, which have been exploited as transit and staging areas by criminal elements,” he said.

The CDS called on traditional rulers, youth leaders, and community stakeholders to support the operation with credible information, stressing that security is a shared responsibility.

Governor AbdulRazaq, in his remarks, described the deployment as a “big relief” to the people of the state and commended President Tinubu for the swift approval of the operation.

“Let me first of all thank the Commander-in-Chief, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for the deployment of Operation Savannah Shield which will cover the entire Kwara State and parts of Niger State. This is a great relief,” the governor said.

He noted that banditry had escalated over the past year, particularly in Kwara North, although security agencies had recorded improvements in Kwara South.

“Kwara North remains a greater challenge, and that is why we have Operation Savannah Shield being inaugurated today,” he added.
The governor also warned that insecurity in the affected areas threatens food production, as many of the troubled communities are located within major farming belts.

“These go beyond national security. We are driving into the road of food security because the vast area in which this operation command will cover is our farming belt and farmers have been challenged with the ongoing disturbances. But you have brought relief to us and we truly appreciate it,” he said.

Operation Savannah Shield is expected to significantly boost security presence in Kwara and neighbouring Niger State as authorities intensify efforts to curb banditry, terrorism, and kidnapping in the region.