Tinubu Orders Full-Scale Security Lockdown Across Kwara Forests, Air Force Launches 24/7 Surveillance

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered a total security cordon on the forests in Kwara State following a rise in kidnappings and terrorist activities, directing the Nigerian Air Force to begin expanded, round-the-clock aerial surveillance of the innermost parts of the affected areas.

The operation, which is expected to tighten the noose around criminal hideouts, will run in close coordination with ground troops already stationed across the state.

The President’s order also extends to the Kebbi and Niger axis, where multiple victims of recent abductions are believed to be held. Senior security sources say the directive represents one of the most aggressive forest-focused operations under the current administration, with an emphasis on precision strikes, intelligence gathering and rapid deployment capacity.

Under the new arrangement, air surveillance teams are to maintain a continuous 24-hour sweep of identified hotspots, relaying real-time intelligence to ground forces manning forward-operating booths. The strategy is aimed at disrupting terrorist movement, cutting off escape routes and enabling faster rescue operations.

Communities within and around the forests have been urged to provide timely information on unusual movements, suspicious gatherings and unfamiliar faces. According to the Presidency, such intelligence will play a crucial role in boosting the efficiency of the security forces and speeding up the rescue efforts already underway.

Mr Sunday Dare, Special Adviser on Media and Public Communications to the President, confirmed the development, noting that the directive underscores Tinubu’s resolve to confront violent criminality and restore safety in vulnerable communities across the northern corridor.