The Presidency on Tuesday pointed to a series of recent military successes, including the rescue of kidnapped passengers in Benue State, as proof that Nigeria’s armed forces are recording steady but underreported progress in tackling asymmetric threats nationwide.
In a statement published on Tuesday, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, criticised what he described as a tendency to amplify isolated security breaches while overlooking sustained operational achievements by the military.
Onanuga wrote, “Some Nigerians and armchair analysts are often quick to criticise the Federal Government for perceived shortcomings in security, highlighting isolated incidents such as kidnappings, improvised explosive devices, suicide bombings, and attacks in parts of the country.
Such perceptions, however, tend to downplay and discount the heroic exploits of members of the Nigerian armed forces.”
He referenced the recent rescue of 13 passengers abducted along the Makurdi–Otukpo route in Benue State.
The victims, who were travelling in a Benue Links bus with 17 occupants, were taken by gunmen in a forested area of Ohimini Local Government Area.
While three passengers escaped, troops from Sub-Sector 1B of Operation Whirl Stroke successfully freed the remaining 13 on April 19 after a coordinated search-and-rescue mission.
Among those rescued were young candidates heading to sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination. They were later taken to the General Hospital in Otukpo for treatment.
Onanuga also addressed initial reports that linked the abduction to Fulani bandits, citing security sources who disputed the claim.
“The perpetrators were local criminal elements in Benue and not Fulani bandits as initially speculated in some quarters.
“The media hastily attributed the attack to external groups without proper verification,” he quoted security sources as saying.
He warned that inaccurate reporting could inflame ethnic tensions.
Following the incident, Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia met with the rescued victims and appealed to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board to reschedule examinations for the affected students due to the trauma they experienced.
Beyond Benue, the Presidency outlined several operations conducted across different regions within the past week.
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In Plateau State, troops under Operation Enduring Peace arrested nine suspected ethnic militia members in Riyom Local Government Area, recovering firearms and ammunition.
The suspects, reportedly found with blood stains, are believed to be linked to recurring violence across Riyom, Barkin Ladi, Bokkos and Mangu.
In Borno State, Operation Hadin Kai troops neutralised two Boko Haram/ISWAP fighters along the Kirawa-Pulka corridor on April 18.
They also repelled an attack in Benisheikh two days earlier and carried out a controlled detonation of an improvised explosive device discovered in Mairari along the Gajiram axis.
Security operations in Yobe State led to the arrest of three individuals suspected of supplying logistics to ISWAP, while in Sokoto State, troops from the 8 Division thwarted an attack by about 30 armed fighters in Garin Hillo, rescuing and evacuating six injured civilians.
Elsewhere, soldiers under Operation MESA dismantled a suspected terrorist camp in Yagba West, Kogi State. In Imo State’s Orsu Local Government Area, joint forces located and defused two improvised explosive devices on April 16.
Meanwhile, in Auchi, Edo State, troops foiled a kidnapping attempt, arresting five suspects and recovering an AK-47 rifle.
While acknowledging that security challenges persist, Onanuga insisted that recent developments reflect meaningful progress and called for greater public recognition of the military’s efforts.
He said, “What the armed forces and government deserve from us is appreciation and commendation, not condemnation and vilification.”
He further noted Nigeria’s growing international engagement on security matters, citing the participation of Defence Minister Christopher Musa at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum 2026 in Türkiye, where discussions focused on counterterrorism cooperation and intelligence sharing.