The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu, arrived in Gusau, the Zamfara State capital, on Thursday to conduct an operational tour aimed at strengthening ongoing counter-banditry operations across the North-West region.
The COAS was received at the Headquarters of the Joint Task Force, Operation Fansa Yamma, with full military honors, including a ceremonial guard of honour. He was accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising principal staff officers from the Army Headquarters and representatives of the Chief of Naval Staff and the Chief of the Air Staff.
Military sources confirmed that the visit is part of the Army chief's nationwide operational tour focused on assessing troop morale, gauging operational readiness, and reviewing progress in the ongoing counter-terrorism and anti-banditry campaigns across the country's various theaters.
Meanwhile, in the South-West, residents of Osun State were thrown into a panic Wednesday night by alarming social media posts and voice notes alleging that bandits had attacked commuters along the Iwo-Osogbo Road near Osuntedo and Idoo communities.
The Osun State Police Command swiftly debunked the claims on Thursday, stressing that no bandit or herdsmen attack occurred on the route.
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Police spokesperson Abiodun Ojelabi clarified that the widespread tension stemmed from a road traffic incident earlier in the day that spiraled out of control after a driver raised a false alarm, leading to mob violence.
Ojelabi explained that the incident began when a Toyota Sienna vehicle collided with the rear of a bus near the Gbongan axis. When the bus occupants, two brothers, refused to stop, the angered Sienna driver allegedly mobilized a mob and falsely accused the brothers of being kidnappers.
The resulting false alarm triggered a mob that pursued and attacked the victims, vandalizing their bus. They were eventually rescued by a local hunter who took them to the Iwo Divisional Police Headquarters.
"The mob trailed them to the station, creating serious tension," Ojelabi said. "Reinforcement was deployed from Osogbo to restore calm. The victims are safe and in protective custody. Efforts are ongoing to identify and arrest members of the mob involved."
The Command strongly condemned the circulation of unverified claims and warned against jungle justice, urging residents to report suspicious activities to the police. "False alarms endanger innocent lives," Ojelabi emphasized, urging the public to verify information before circulating it.