Kwara State Governor AbdulRahaman AbdulRazaq visited six injured soldiers at Kwara State University Teaching Hospital (KWASUTH), Ilorin, following a counterterrorism operation in Kaiama, Kaiama Local Government Area. Three soldiers were killed in the attack, which the Governor described as a deliberate and surprise frontal assault on military checkpoint facilities. During the visit, he announced N20 million in support for each family of the fallen soldiers and N5 million for each of the injured personnel. The Governor was received at KWASUTH by Dr Malik Abdulraheem, Executive Secretary of the Kwara State Hospitals Management Board, and Dr Bola Ahmed AbdulKadir, Chief Medical Director of KWASUTH, alongside security officials.
AbdulRazaq stated the attackers, reportedly originating from Niger State, exploited the porous borders and the vast Kainji Forest Reserve, an area nearly twice the size of Lagos State, to launch and retreat from attacks. He credited ongoing efforts by the Army and security agencies with reducing attacks through intelligence and threat neutralisation, particularly under Operation Savannah Shield. The Governor noted the attackers targeted military positions, not civilians, suggesting desperation to force troops out of the area. He also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for prompt responses to security assistance requests in Kwara State, while expressing concern over local informants aiding criminal elements.
Governor AbdulRazaq praises federal support while highlighting that the Kainji Forest Reserve's size and weak troop deployment make it nearly impossible to secure, raising questions about how realistic current operations are. The promise of financial compensation for fallen and injured soldiers does not address the lack of adequate manpower or equipment to patrol such a vast, vulnerable terrain. If attackers from Niger State keep crossing undeterred, the declared success of Operation Savannah Shield appears more rhetorical than operational. Nigerians in border communities remain exposed to recurring violence despite assurances of control.
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