The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has dismissed as misleading and mischievous recent reports alleging that it downplayed terrorist activities in the South West by referring to terrorists as mere criminals.
In a statement issued on Thursday by the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, the military clarified that at no time did it undermine the authority of any democratically elected government or trivialize the heinous crimes committed against innocent citizens.
According to the DHQ, the clarification earlier provided on the security situation in the South West was aimed strictly at giving an intelligence-based assessment in order to prevent misinformation, public panic, and misinterpretation of ongoing military operations.
The Defence Headquarters explained that the recent kidnapping incident in Oyo State was carried out by members of the Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS) terrorist group, who were displaced from other operational theatres due to sustained military offensives across the country.
The military stressed that it never described violent terrorist elements as ordinary criminals, noting that such interpretations were inaccurate and misleading.
The DHQ further assured Nigerians that troops remain actively deployed in affected areas in collaboration with other security agencies and local stakeholders to track down fleeing terrorists and dismantle criminal networks threatening national peace and stability.
Reaffirming its commitment to constitutional governance and the protection of democratic institutions, the Armed Forces of Nigeria pledged to sustain ongoing offensive operations against terrorists and other criminal elements across the country.
The statement emphasized that the military remains resolute in safeguarding the unity, peace, and territorial integrity of Nigeria.