The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has directed troops of the Nigerian Army’s 2 Division to intensify offensive operations and decisively flush out bandits, kidnappers and other criminal elements operating within the Division’s Area of Responsibility.
According to Acting Director, Army Public Relations Colonel Appolonia Anele, the directive was issued on Monday, December 22, 2025, during the COAS’s maiden operational visit to the 2 Division at Odugbo Barracks, Ibadan, where he addressed officers and soldiers. He commended the troops for their resilience, professionalism and operational effectiveness in tackling banditry, kidnapping and related crimes across the area.
Lieutenant General Shaibu said he had been thoroughly briefed on ongoing operations and the successes recorded so far, urging the troops to sustain the tempo of operations. He charged them to relentlessly pursue criminal elements wherever they may be found, including forests, bushes and other hideouts, to ensure criminal activities are reduced to the barest minimum.
The Army Chief also reaffirmed his commitment to improving troop welfare, disclosing that approvals have been granted for the renovation of existing accommodation and the construction of new residential facilities within the barracks. He emphasised that troop morale is critical to operational success and remains a central pillar of his command philosophy.
He further urged personnel to properly maintain existing facilities to promote a conducive living and operational environment.
