The Defence Headquarters has said the terrorists responsible for the recent abduction of pupils and teachers in Oyo State were criminal elements displaced from other parts of the country following intensified military operations.
The military made the clarification on Thursday while reacting to reports surrounding comments credited to the Defence Headquarters over terrorist activities in the South-West region.
In a statement signed by the Director of Defence Media Operations, Michael Onoja, the Defence Headquarters said the attackers belonged to the Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS) terrorist group.
Military links Oyo attack to displaced terrorists
According to the statement, the terrorists were forced out of their former strongholds due to sustained military offensives across different parts of the country.
“The recent incidence of kidnap in Oyo State was clearly perpetrated by terrorists of the JAS Group that have been dislodged from other parts of the country due to high-intensity operations being conducted all over,” the statement read.
The military maintained that troops remained actively deployed in affected areas alongside other security agencies and local stakeholders to track down criminal groups.
DHQ reacts to controversy
The Defence Headquarters also dismissed what it described as misleading interpretations of its earlier comments regarding insecurity in the South-West.
It stressed that the Armed Forces remained committed to protecting democratic institutions and supporting constitutional governance.
“At no time did the Defence Headquarters undermine the authority of any democratically elected leader or seek to diminish the gravity of the heinous crime committed against innocent citizens by terrorist elements,” the statement added.
Operations ongoing in Oyo communities
The clarification comes days after terrorists attacked communities in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, abducting pupils, teachers and residents from Community High School, Ahoro-Esinle.
The attacks also left several people dead, while one of the abducted teachers, Michael Oyedokun, was later killed after a disturbing video linked to the incident surfaced online.
The Defence Headquarters said the Armed Forces would continue operations aimed at dismantling terrorist and criminal networks threatening peace and stability across the country.