The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has dismissed claims of terrorist presence in the South-West geopolitical zone, insisting that the recent abduction of pupils and teachers in Oyo State was an isolated criminal incident and not evidence of any entrenched insurgent network in the region.
The clarification comes amid heightened public concern following remarks by Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, who had suggested that armed groups behind the attack on schools in the state were terrorists and warned of possible spillover of insurgency pressure from the North-West into the South-West.
The governor had disclosed that the attack on Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota; Community Grammar School, Ahoro-Esinele; and L.A. Primary School, all in Oriire Local Government Area, triggered a joint security response involving Amotekun operatives, the police, military personnel, and local hunters.
He also noted that some Amotekun operatives sustained injuries after running into improvised explosive devices during pursuit operations.
However, in a strong rebuttal on Tuesday, the Defence Headquarters urged Nigerians to disregard assertions suggesting the existence of terrorist strongholds in the South-West, stressing that current intelligence does not support such claims.
The military high command maintained that the attack was carried out by criminal elements rather than terrorists with a structured base in the region.
“The incident was an isolated criminal act and does not reflect the existence of any entrenched terrorist structure in the region,” the DHQ said, adding that earlier clearance operations within the Old Oyo National Park had significantly degraded the capacity of criminal groups operating in the area.
According to the DHQ, intelligence assessments have not identified any permanent terrorist camps or coordinated insurgent infrastructure in forests or hinterlands across the South-West.
It further explained that the Armed Forces remain committed to sustaining surveillance and counter-insurgency operations nationwide, while urging residents to continue their daily activities without fear.
The exchange underscores growing tension between state authorities and federal security agencies over the true nature of recent attacks in parts of Oyo State, as concerns persist over possible migration of armed groups displaced from other regions of Nigeria.
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