RismadarVoice Reporters, June 5, 2026
The Federal Government of Nigeria has pledged to intensify military and intelligence operations aimed at rescuing abducted schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo and Borno States, as insecurity continues to trigger national concern.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the government has launched a renewed counter-terrorism and anti-kidnapping offensive, insisting that “no child belongs in captivity.”
He said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the deployment of a specialised rescue team and approved the recruitment of 1,000 forest guards to strengthen security in vulnerable communities.
According to him, intelligence gathering, aerial surveillance, and coordinated search-and-rescue missions are ongoing in both states, with security agencies fully mobilised to secure the release of victims and apprehend perpetrators.
Idris added that the administration’s broader security strategy combines military action with structural reforms, including plans for state policing and an overhaul of Nigeria’s security architecture.
He also highlighted recent military operations across the country, claiming that hundreds of terrorists and criminal elements have been neutralised, arrested, or forced to surrender in recent months, while numerous abductees have been rescued.
In the North-East, he referenced ongoing operations under military campaigns such as Operation Hadin Kai, noting reported successes against insurgent groups operating in Borno State.
The minister also said that the government is strengthening international cooperation, particularly in intelligence sharing and counter-terrorism capacity building, as part of efforts to degrade terrorist networks.
Meanwhile, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has criticised the Federal Government’s security response, warning that Nigeria’s counter-terrorism strategy is failing to adapt to evolving threats.
Speaking through his aide, he urged a comprehensive overhaul of the national counter-terrorism framework, arguing that terrorists continuously refine their tactics while government responses remain static.
Atiku called for the establishment of regional intelligence fusion centres, stronger border security, and increased investment in surveillance technology and community-based intelligence networks.
He also advocated a peer-review system for assessing terrorist violence patterns and improving response strategies based on lessons from past attacks, including the 2014 Chibok abduction.
Both the government and opposition figures agree on the urgency of addressing rising kidnappings, though they differ sharply on the effectiveness of current strategies and the reforms required to end the crisis. FG vows to crush kidnappers, rescue abducted pupils in Oyo, Borno
The Federal Government has pledged to intensify military and intelligence operations aimed at rescuing abducted schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo and Borno States, as insecurity continues to trigger national concern.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the government has launched a renewed counter-terrorism and anti-kidnapping offensive, insisting that “no child belongs in captivity.”
He said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the deployment of a specialised rescue team and approved the recruitment of 1,000 forest guards to strengthen security in vulnerable communities.
According to him, intelligence gathering, aerial surveillance, and coordinated search-and-rescue missions are ongoing in both states, with security agencies fully mobilised to secure the release of victims and apprehend perpetrators.
Idris added that the administration’s broader security strategy combines military action with structural reforms, including plans for state policing and an overhaul of Nigeria’s security architecture.
He also highlighted recent military operations across the country, claiming that hundreds of terrorists and criminal elements have been neutralised, arrested, or forced to surrender in recent months, while numerous abductees have been rescued.
In the North-East, he referenced ongoing operations under military campaigns such as Operation Hadin Kai, noting reported successes against insurgent groups operating in Borno State.
The minister also said that the government is strengthening international cooperation, particularly in intelligence sharing and counter-terrorism capacity building, as part of efforts to degrade terrorist networks.
Meanwhile, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has criticised the Federal Government’s security response, warning that Nigeria’s counter-terrorism strategy is failing to adapt to evolving threats.
Speaking through his aide, he urged a comprehensive overhaul of the national counter-terrorism framework, arguing that terrorists continuously refine their tactics while government responses remain static.
Atiku called for the establishment of regional intelligence fusion centres, stronger border security, and increased investment in surveillance technology and community-based intelligence networks.
He also advocated a peer-review system for assessing terrorist violence patterns and improving response strategies based on lessons from past attacks, including the 2014 Chibok abduction.
Both the government and opposition figures agree on the urgency of addressing rising kidnappings, though they differ sharply on the effectiveness of current strategies and the reforms required to end the crisis.
