Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu arrived in Maiduguri, Borno State, on Saturday, two days after President Bola Tinubu ordered security chiefs to rescue all abducted persons and dismantle terrorist and bandit camps across the country.
Shaibu arrived in the state capital at about 11 a.m., amid renewed directives from the President for security agencies to intensify operations against terrorists and kidnappers.
It is unclear whether the Army Chief’s visit was directly linked to Tinubu’s order. He is expected to meet theatre, field and unit commanders in the state.
Tinubu issued the directive during a security meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, according to Defence Minister Christopher Musa.
Speaking on Thursday, October 15, Musa said the President had instructed security chiefs to intensify efforts to rescue abducted persons wherever they were being held and ensure that no terrorist or bandit camps remained in the country.
“The directive from the President is: all of us must go all out to fish out and rescue all those who have been abducted or kidnapped, wherever they are,” Musa quoted Tinubu as saying.
“There shouldn’t be any camp of terrorists or bandits anywhere in Nigeria,” he added.
The President also directed service chiefs and other security officials to ensure a safe environment for Nigerians to participate in the elections scheduled for January.
Shaibu’s visit comes as the military faces pressure to strengthen counterterrorism operations and address insecurity in Borno and other parts of the country.
