Military Links Oyo Kidnap Attack to Displaced Terrorist Group
The Defence Headquarters has attributed the recent kidnapping incident in Oyo State to members of a terrorist group displaced from other regions following intensified military operations across the country.
In a clarification issued in response to what it described as misleading reports about its earlier remarks on criminal groups operating in the South-West, the military said the attack was carried out by elements of the Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS).
According to the Defence Headquarters, sustained offensives by security forces in other parts of the country have forced insurgents to flee their traditional strongholds, leading some of them to relocate and engage in criminal activities in other regions.
The statement, signed by the Director of Defence Media Operations, said the kidnapping incident was part of a broader pattern of movement by displaced fighters who are attempting to establish new operational bases.
The military maintained that ongoing counter-insurgency operations have continued to weaken terrorist networks, even as some elements adapt by shifting their activities to less secure areas.
It added that the clarification became necessary following public reactions to earlier reports on the classification of armed groups involved in recent security incidents in the South-West.
