In response to the recent, brutal killings that have shaken communities in northern Kwara, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the immediate deployment of an army battalion to Kaiama Local Government Area and formally announced the launch of a new military counter‑insurgency initiative, codenamed Operation Savannah Shield. The offensive is aimed at reinforcing security across Kwara and neighbouring rural districts that have in recent months been besieged by a surge in violent attacks attributed to armed bandits and extremist cells.
Addressing the nation from the State House in Abuja, President Tinubu described the killings as “cowardly and barbaric atrocities” that have left families devastated and entire villages living in fear. He underscored the federal government’s resolve to confront the growing threat with calibrated force and strategic precision, warning that those responsible for terrorising innocent civilians would be relentlessly pursued and brought to justice.
“Today,” the President declared, “we are activating Operation Savannah Shield; a comprehensive security architecture designed to strengthen the rule of law, deny militants and criminal elements safe havens, and protect defenceless populations who have become targets of both extremism and banditry. We will not waver in our duty to safeguard every Nigerian’s life and livelihood.”
According to senior officials at the Presidential Villa, the newly deployed army battalion will operate in close coordination with the Nigeria Police Force, State Security Service (SSS), Department of State Services (DSS), and local intelligence networks. The integrated task force will implement fortified patrols, establish strategic checkpoints along major access routes, and conduct on-going aerial and ground reconnaissance missions to monitor threats and pre‑empt future attacks.
The military component of Operation Savannah Shield will be supported by enhanced logistics, intelligence‑sharing protocols, and community engagement initiatives intended to build trust between security forces and local populations. Authorities emphasised that civilian protection, rapid response capabilities, and the restoration of normalcy in affected areas are central to the operation’s mandate.
Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman Abdulrazaq welcomed the federal government’s intervention, affirming that the deployment would serve as a strong deterrent to further attacks and help bring much‑needed calm to traumatised communities. In a statement released from Ilorin, Governor Abdulrazaq expressed solidarity with victims’ families and pledged sustained collaboration between state and federal security apparatuses throughout the campaign.
“Security is a shared responsibility,” the governor said. “We are confident that with Operation Savannah Shield fully mobilised and our forces working in unison, residents will begin to feel safer, markets will reopen, and farmers will return to their fields without fear.”
