President Bola Tinubu has ordered the immediate and massive deployment of the Nigerian Army to the nation’s North West and North Central regions following a series of brutal massacres that have left scores dead. The presidential directive comes as a direct response to the recent slaughter of over 20 villagers in Katsina State and the ongoing volatility in Benue, where a landmark trial for the 2025 Yelwata massacre is currently underway.
Addressing the nation from the Presidential Villa, Tinubu described the latest wave of banditry and communal violence as an “unacceptable assault on the collective peace of Nigeria.” The new military operation, codenamed “Operation Final Stand,” aims to flush out terrorists from their forest hideouts and establish permanent forward operating bases in high-risk local government areas.
The Chief of Army Staff has been instructed to oversee the deployment personally, ensuring that troops are equipped with advanced surveillance technology and air support provided by the newly reactivated Nigerian Air Force platforms. This surge in military presence is intended not only to provide immediate security but to reassure traumatized residents who have witnessed their homes and livelihoods destroyed by arson and gunfire.
The deployment coincides with increased international security cooperation, including the recent arrival of a specialized U.S. military team tasked with enhancing Nigeria’s counter-terrorism capabilities. The federal government has made it clear that while it remains open to regional peace initiatives, the primary response to “massacres and mindless killing” will now be the full application of state force.
This move signals a pivot toward a more aggressive security posture by the Tinubu administration. As the army moves into the hinterlands, the world watches to see if this surge will finally break the back of the insurgency or if the deep-seated root causes of the violence will continue to elude a purely military solution.
