Lieutenant-General Waidi Shaibu, the Chief of Army Staff, has announced that military forces are gaining ground in their mission to recover 39 students and seven teachers kidnapped in Oyo State. Speaking at a press event in Port Harcourt during the 2026 Nigerian Army Day festivities, Shaibu confirmed that the victims, who were taken from three different schools in the Orire area on May 15, remain the priority of ongoing tactical operations.
Beyond the situation in Oyo, Shaibu highlighted broader national security achievements. In the North East, Operation Hadin Kai has successfully eliminated over 1,872 insurgents, including a prominent Islamic State commander named Abu-Bilal al-Minuki. These security gains have even allowed some displaced citizens to return home, evidenced by the shuttering of the Bama camp in Borno State. Similar progress was noted in the North West, North Central, and South South regions, where anti-bunkering efforts have helped stabilize national oil production.
To bolster national security, President Bola Tinubu has authorized the expansion of the military workforce. A new training depot in Amasiri-Edda, Ebonyi State, joins existing facilities in Zaria and Osogbo to support the recruitment of 28,000 new soldiers. So far, 14,000 recruits have completed their specialized 11-month training cycles. Furthermore, the army has modernized its capabilities by incorporating advanced armoured vehicles, surveillance drones, and unmanned aerial systems, supported by rigorous international and local training for its personnel.
