CDS Oluyede Names Two States Responsible for Terrorism in Northeast Nigeria

Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, has identified residents of Borno State and Yobe State as key contributors to the persistence of terrorism in the Northeast.

General Oluyede made the remarks on Wednesday while speaking to journalists upon his arrival in Borno State, following a series of bombings in the area earlier this week.

Addressing questions about why terrorism continues to thrive in the region, he stressed that local communities must take responsibility to end the menace.

“The Northeast has seen an upsurge in attacks over the past month. This is not new, as such incidents often occur during Ramadan.

“But we are here today to ensure that in the future, these attacks do not repeat,” he said. “I must emphasise something important: for us to end terrorism, the people of Borno and Yobe States must take ownership of this problem.

“The bulk of those perpetrating these heinous acts are from these states; they are our brothers and sisters.”

He added, “For example, two of the attackers involved in the Kukuwa incident were from the village itself, which shows local complicity. Our communities must resolve this; it must come to an end, and ownership of this problem is critical.”

Earlier, Vice President Kashim Shettima visited the victims of the Maiduguri bombings, which police reported left 23 people dead and more than 100 injured.

In response to the attacks, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu instructed the service chiefs to deploy to Borno State to address the security situation.