By Joy Odor Reportcircle News
As anxiety deepens among displaced residents of Kurmin Wali, the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) has moved to calm rising fears, insisting that the search for abducted victims has neither stalled nor slowed but is being prosecuted with calculated precision.
In a press statement issued by Major General Michael Onoja, the Director Defence Media Operations (DDMO) on 23 January 2026, acknowledged growing apprehension within affected communities over what some perceive as a fading rescue effort.
The AFN, however, was unequivocal: the safe rescue and reintegration of all kidnapped victims remains a top operational priority.
According to military authorities, ongoing efforts to free the captives are being driven by sustained, intelligence-led operations, carried out in close coordination with other security agencies.
These operations are concentrated around Kurmin Wali and surrounding forest corridors believed to serve as hideouts for the kidnappers.
Contrary to claims of reduced activity, the AFN disclosed that troops are executing a multi-layered operational strategy, combining ground patrols, surveillance missions, intelligence gathering and carefully targeted actions.
The objective, officials say, is not simply to locate the perpetrators but to secure the hostages without exposing them to additional danger.
Military sources stressed that what may appear as restraint or silence is, in reality, a deliberate tactical choice.
“The distress of the families is fully understood,” the AFN noted, adding that restraint in certain phases of the operation is guided by one overriding concern: the safety of the captives.
Rushed or highly visible action, the military warned, could trigger unintended consequences for those being held.
While specific operational details remain classified for security reasons, the AFN confirmed that significant efforts are underway to dismantle the criminal networks behind the abductions, an approach that goes beyond recovery to long-term disruption of kidnapping syndicates.
The military reiterated its constitutional mandate to protect lives and property, reaffirming its commitment to reuniting the Kurmin Wali victims with their families.
In closing, the AFN appealed to the public for continued patience, cooperation and support, emphasizing that successful rescue operations often depend as much on discretion and intelligence as on force.
For families waiting in anguish, the message from military headquarters is clear: the operation is ongoing, the objective unchanged, and the victims have not been forgotten.
