Abdulrazaq, Kwara governor, launches Operation Savannah Shield to tackle rising insecurity

Operation Savannah Shield, a coordinated security initiative aimed at flushing out “all enemies of the state” in Kwara and neighbouring states, has been officially launched in Kwara State.

The operation, which brings together the Nigerian Army, Police, Civil Defence, and other security agencies, is designed to tackle rising cases of banditry, kidnapping, and other violent crimes across border communities and forested areas.

Security sources said the initiative would involve intensified patrols, intelligence-driven raids, and sustained surveillance of flashpoints identified as criminal hideouts. The exercise is also expected to strengthen collaboration among security agencies and enhance rapid response to distress calls.

Authorities noted that the operation would cover vulnerable local government areas, particularly those sharing boundaries with neighbouring states, where criminal elements have been known to exploit porous borders.

Officials expressed confidence that Operation Savannah Shield would significantly restore peace, protect lives and property, and reinforce public confidence in the state’s security architecture.

The flag-off was done by Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede, and the Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu at the Sobi Barracks in Ilorin, the headquarters of the multi-agency operations which President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had approved for Kwara in the wake of the deadly terrorist attack in Kaiama and parts of Niger State a few weeks ago.

Governor Abdulrazaq commended the President for the swift response to his distress call on the activities of terror groups and other criminal networks such as kidnapping gangs.

Read also: Tinubu approves multi-agency offensive as military launches operation Savannah Shield in Kwara

He called the takeoff of the operations a big relief to the people of the state, saying the banditry and terrorism are not just about the national security but a big threat to food security because the most affected areas are among the farming belts of the country.

He said: “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.

“We have seen the escalation of bandit activities especially in Kwara North, South and parts of Niger State over the past one year. But we have also seen that the security agencies have stepped in and the situation in Kwara South has vastly improved. Kwara North remains a greater challenge, and that is why we have Operation Savannah Shield being inaugurated today.

“One is really impressed at the short time this deployment has taken place. I thank the Chief of Defence Staff for making this happen very quickly. We are truly relieved and people will sleep better now.

“One could go on and on about the challenges that we face but 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.”

In a brief interview with reporters when the CDS visited the Governor in Ilorin, he said: “I am here in Kwara; first, to visit His Excellency and to personally commiserate with him over some recent occurrences; and to inform him that we are here to see how we can checkmate all the atrocities committed by the enemies of state.

“So, we are here to flag off a joint task force nicknamed Operation Savannah Shield and under that umbrella we’ll have the Army, Navy and Air Force components and we believe that with our robust approach we should be able to checkmate the activities of these enemies of state going forward. That’s simply why I’m here.”

The CDS said the operation is a proactive kinetic response to end kidnapping and related criminal activities in Kwara State, adding that the troops will sweep through the Kainji National Park to dislodge terrorist networks in the forests.

“Operation Savannah Shield is a proactive and coordinated response. The joint task force will cover the entire Kwara State and parts of Niger State.

“Its primary mandate is to secure lives and property, neutralise terrorist and criminal elements, disrupt kidnapping networks and restore law and order within the joint operational area. This operation will be intelligence-driven, community-focused and inter-agency in execution.

“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. Let me assure the good people of Kwara and neighbouring states that this is not a temporary surge but a structured and sustained campaign.

“We will combine kinetic and non-kinetic measures through robust patrols, targeted operations, strategic communication and community engagement to deny terrorists freedom of action and win the trust of our people. I call on traditional rulers, youth leaders and community stakeholders to support Operation Savannah Shield with credible information and the expected cooperation. Security is a shared responsibility and together we will reclaim every community from fear and criminality,” he stated.