COAS Storms Borno as Tinubu Orders Rescue of All Abductees, Destruction of Terrorist Camps

MAIDUGURI — Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has arrived in Borno State as the Nigerian military intensifies its security operations following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive to rescue all abducted persons and eliminate terrorist and bandit camps across the country.

Shaibu arrived in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, at about 11 a.m. on Saturday, October 17, 2026, two days after Tinubu issued the directive to security chiefs during a meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

The army chief’s visit comes amid renewed pressure on security agencies to intensify counterterrorism operations, dismantle insurgent hideouts and secure the release of Nigerians being held captive by criminal groups.

Although it remains unclear whether the visit was directly triggered by the President’s order, Shaibu is expected to meet with theatre, field and unit commanders involved in military operations across the state.

His arrival at the headquarters of the North-East Joint Task Force, Operation Hadin Kai, at Maimalari Cantonment in Maiduguri signals continued military engagement in a region that has faced years of insurgency and attacks by armed groups.

Tinubu’s directive was disclosed on Thursday, October 15, by the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (retd.), after a security meeting with the President and heads of security agencies.

According to Musa, the President ordered security agencies to intensify efforts to locate and rescue all abducted persons, regardless of where they were being held.

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“The directive from the President is: all of us must go all out to fish out and rescue all those that have been abducted, kidnapped, wherever they are,” the minister quoted Tinubu as saying.

The President also directed security chiefs to ensure that terrorist and bandit camps were dismantled across the country.

“There shouldn’t be any camp of any terrorists or bandits anywhere in Nigeria,” Musa said, relaying the President’s position.

The directive comes as the Federal Government faces continuing security challenges, including kidnappings, terrorist attacks and the activities of armed groups in parts of northern Nigeria.

Borno remains a major theatre of counterinsurgency operations against Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), which have carried out attacks on civilians, security personnel and communities in the North-East.

Military operations under Operation Hadin Kai have focused on confronting insurgents, disrupting their movements and restoring security to affected communities. The latest visit by the army chief is expected to provide an opportunity for engagements with commanders overseeing operations on the ground.

Tinubu has also directed security chiefs to ensure adequate security for Nigerians during the elections scheduled for January, according to the Defence Minister.

The President’s instructions place renewed emphasis on rescuing abductees, dismantling armed groups’ operational bases and improving the security environment ahead of the polls.

However, the army chief’s arrival in Maiduguri should not be interpreted as confirmation that all abductees have been rescued or that terrorist camps have been eliminated. No such outcome was established in the reports announcing his visit.

The military’s next steps and any operational results from the engagements in Borno are likely to be closely watched by families of abducted persons and communities affected by insurgency.

For now, the government’s stated objective remains clear: intensify security operations, rescue people held in captivity and dismantle the camps used by terrorists and bandits to carry out attacks across Nigeria.