President Bola Tinubu has ordered the deployment of an Army battalion to Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State following an overnight attack by Boko Haram terrorists that claimed the lives of villagers in Worro communities.
The directive, which includes the appointment of a field commander and the commencement of a military operation, was disclosed on Wednesday in a statement issued by the Presidential Spokesperson, Mr Bayo Onanuga.
According to the statement, the President said the newly established military command would lead Operation Savannah Shield to counter the activities of the terrorists and protect vulnerable communities.
President Tinubu also directed that the deployment should ensure immediate relief for affected residents and restore security to the area.
Condemning the attack, the President described the assailants as heartless for targeting defenceless civilians in what he termed a doomed campaign of terror.
He further decried the killing of community members who resisted forced indoctrination and chose to practise a form of Islam that rejects extremism and violence.
“It is commendable that the community members, even though Muslims, refused to be conscripted into a weird belief that promotes violence over peace and dialogue,” he said.
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The President urged close collaboration between federal and state agencies to provide relief to the affected communities and ensure that those responsible for the atrocities are brought to justice.
President Tinubu also prayed for the repose of the souls of the deceased and extended his condolences to the bereaved families, as well as to the people and government of Kwara State.
The federal intervention followed a brutal assault on Worro community in Kaiama Local Government Area, where residents were reportedly killed for refusing to submit to extremist demands.
The launch of Operation Savannah Shield signals an intensified federal security response aimed at stabilising the Kaiama area, strengthening military presence, and preventing further attacks.