The Defence Headquarters, DHQ, has dismissed reports suggesting that terrorist groups have established a permanent operational base in Nigeria’s South West region following the recent abduction of school pupils and teachers in Oyo State.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, the military described the attack on schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State as an isolated criminal act and not evidence of an entrenched terrorist presence in the region.

According to the statement, the affected schools are Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota, Community Grammar School, Ahoro-Esinele and L.A. Primary School.

Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Olatunbosun Oluyede, expressed sympathy to the families of the victims, the Oyo State Government, and Nigerians over the incident, describing the abduction of innocent children and staff as “callous and reprehensible”.

He assured families that the Armed Forces of Nigeria was deploying all available resources to ensure the safe and unconditional release of the abducted victims.

According to the DHQ, previous clearance operations conducted in the Old Oyo National Park had significantly weakened criminal elements operating within the area.

“Current intelligence assessments do not support the conclusion that any structured or permanent terrorist base exists within the forests or hinterlands of the South West region,” the statement said.

The military added that troops are currently carrying out operations within the forest areas to track down the perpetrators and rescue the victims.

It disclosed that troops recently made contact with the suspected criminals and have since intensified pursuit operations in collaboration with other security agencies, local vigilantes, and community members providing human intelligence.

The Defence Headquarters urged Nigerians, particularly residents of the South West, to remain calm and cooperate with security agencies, assuring that operations would continue until the abducted victims are rescued and criminal networks in the region dismantled.