The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has clarified that the recent kidnapping incident in Oyo State was orchestrated by terrorists from the Jama'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati wal-Jihad (JAS) group, who were displaced from other parts of the country due to intensified military campaigns.
DHQ Statement on Oyo Abduction
In a statement released on Thursday, the military high command addressed what it termed as 'mischievous and misleading publications' regarding its classification of terrorist and criminal elements in the South-West. The statement, signed by Maj.-Gen. Michael Onoja, Director of Defence Media Operations, emphasized that the attackers were JAS members forced to relocate by sustained offensives nationwide.
'The recent incidence of kidnapping in Oyo State was clearly perpetrated by terrorists of the JAS group that have been dislodged from other parts of the country due to high-intensity operations being conducted all over,' the statement read.
Refuting Misclassification Claims
The DHQ denied reports suggesting it had labeled terrorists in the South-West as ordinary criminals, insisting such interpretations were inaccurate and misleading. 'It is therefore inaccurate and misleading to suggest that the Defence Headquarters, at any point, referred to vicious and violent terrorists as criminals,' Onoja stated.
The military explained that its earlier clarification on security developments in the South-West was intended to provide intelligence-based context, aiming to prevent misinformation and unnecessary panic among residents.
This clarification underscores the ongoing threat posed by displaced terrorist groups and the military's commitment to combating terrorism across all regions of Nigeria.
