Operation Savannah Shield officially commenced in Kwara State on Thursday as part of a coordinated effort by the government and security forces to tackle terrorism, banditry, and kidnapping across Kwara and neighbouring states.

The operation was flagged off at Sobi Barracks in Ilorin by Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, the Chief of Defence Staff, Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede, and the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu. The multi-agency operation was approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu following recent deadly attacks in Kaiama and parts of Niger State.

Governor AbdulRazaq commended the President for the swift response to his call for intervention against terror groups and criminal networks operating in parts of the state.

"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," the governor said.

He noted that escalating banditry, particularly in Kwara North and parts of Kwara South and neighbouring Niger State, poses not only a national security threat but also a serious risk to food security, as many of the affected communities are major farming belts.

"We are driving into the road of food security because the vast area this operation command will cover is our farming belt, and farmers have been challenged with ongoing disturbances. But you have brought relief to us and we truly appreciate it," he added.

In a separate briefing after visiting the governor, General Oluyede said the operation represents a proactive and coordinated response to end atrocities committed by criminal elements.

"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 the enemies of state," he said.

He explained that the joint task force comprises the Army, Navy, and Air Force and will deploy a robust approach to restore security.

"Operation Savannah Shield is a proactive and coordinated response. The joint task force will cover the entire Kwara State and parts of Niger State," the CDS stated.

According to him, the primary mandate is to secure lives and property, neutralise terrorist and criminal elements, disrupt kidnapping networks, and restore law and order within the operational area.

He added that troops would conduct targeted operations in forested and ungoverned areas, particularly around the Kainji Lake National Park, which he said has been used as transit and staging grounds by criminal networks.

"This operation will be intelligence-driven, community-focused, and inter-agency in execution. It is not a temporary surge but a structured and sustained campaign," Oluyede said.

He called on traditional rulers, youth leaders, and community stakeholders to provide credible information and cooperate with security agencies, stressing that security remains a shared responsibility.

"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," he added.