By Reportcircle News
By the time the Chief of Army Staff finished speaking at Odugbo Barracks, Ibadan, the message to troops of the Nigerian Army’s 2 Division was unmistakable: the gloves are off.
On Monday, 22 December 2025, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, on his maiden operational visit to the Division’s Area of Responsibility, ordered an intensified and relentless offensive against bandits, kidnappers and other criminal networks operating across the zone.
The directive signals a renewed push by the Army’s top Command to decisively degrade criminal enclaves threatening lives, livelihoods and commerce.
Addressing officers and soldiers, the Army Chief praised the Division for what he described as “remarkable operational successes” in confronting insecurity, noting that intelligence briefings reflected both resilience and growing effectiveness on the ground.
“I have been thoroughly briefed on your operations and the results you have achieved,” Shaibu said.
“You must sustain the momentum. Go after the kidnappers and other miscreants wherever they are whether in bushes, forests or hideouts and ensure these criminal activities are reduced to the barest minimum.”
The charge was blunt, operational and time-sensitive.
With banditry and kidnapping continuing to disrupt economic activity and public confidence, particularly across transport corridors and rural communities, the COAS made clear that hesitation was no longer acceptable.
Beyond battlefield orders, Shaibu also addressed the issue that often determines battlefield outcomes: troop morale.
He disclosed that approvals had been secured for the renovation of existing accommodation and the construction of new residential facilities within the barracks, reaffirming that welfare remains central to his command philosophy.
“Operational success is tied directly to morale,” the Army Chief noted, urging troops to take responsibility for maintaining existing facilities to ensure a conducive living and working environment.
The visit underscored a dual-track strategy hard pressure on criminal elements, coupled with renewed investment in personnel welfare to strengthen operational endurance.
For 2 Division troops, the signal from Army Headquarters is clear: sustain the pressure, deny criminals safe havens, and close the security gaps without pause.
As the year draws to a close, the directive positions the Division at the forefront of the Army’s broader push to stabilise volatile areas and reassure communities that the state retains both the will and capacity to enforce order.
