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Operation Savannah Shield officially took off in Kwara State on Thursday in what is a combined effort by the government and security forces to rout “all enemies of the state” in Kwara and neighbouring states, DAILY POST reports.
The flag-off was performed 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 operation which President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had approved for Kwara State in the wake of the deadly terrorist attacks in Kaiama and parts of Niger State a few weeks ago, with many lives lost.
Governor AbdulRazaq commended the President for the swift response to his distress call over the activities of terror groups and other criminal networks such as kidnapping gangs.
He described the take-off of the operation as a big relief to the people of the state, saying banditry and terrorism are not just national security issues but also a major threat to food security because the most affected areas are among the country’s farming belts.
His words: “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 towards food security because the vast area this operation command will cover is our farming belt, and farmers have been challenged by the ongoing disturbances. But you have brought relief to us and we truly appreciate it,” the governor asserted.
In a brief interview with reporters when the CDS visited the governor in Ilorin on Thursday, 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 enemies of the state.
“So, we are here to flag off a joint task force nicknamed ‘Operation Savannah Shield,’ and under that umbrella we will have the Army, Navy and Air Force components. We believe that with our robust approach, we should be able to checkmate the activities of these enemies of the 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 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,” he said.
“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 effort, 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.”
