The Nigerian Army has launched Operation Igbo Danu, also known as Operation Forest Flush, resulting in the neutralization of terrorists and the rescue of kidnapped victims across parts of Kwara State.
The army disclosed the development Friday in a statement on its X handle, signed by Captain Maureen Ogbuka for the Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, 2 Division Nigerian Army.
Troops of the 22 Armoured Brigade, supported by the Office of the National Security Adviser, conducted sustained offensive operations in the Joint Operations Area between Jan. 23 and 29, 2026. The operations were led by Major General Chinedu Nnebife, General Officer Commanding 2 Division and Commander Sector 3, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, alongside Brigadier General Nicholas Rume, Commander of 22 Armoured Brigade.
“In the engagements, troops conducted fighting patrols in several bandits’ enclaves and successfully neutralised terrorists, while others escaped into the forest with suspected gunshot wounds,” the statement said. It added that terrorists’ hideouts and camps were destroyed, forcing them to abandon their positions.
The army said troops cleared Garin Dandi, a major bandit enclave in Ifelodun Local Government Area, destroying logistics bases and supply systems. Soldiers also stormed remote camps previously inaccessible to security forces, degrading the operational capacity of the terrorists.
Despite the difficult terrain, troops maintained aggressive operations across forested areas, denying bandits freedom of movement. The army said fleeing bandits were intercepted at various blocking positions, leading to arrests and the rescue of several kidnapped victims from different camps.
The statement noted that some bandits received support from collaborators within nearby communities who provided intelligence on troop movements, enabling early withdrawal from targeted locations.
Major General Nnebife urged residents to provide timely and credible information to support ongoing operations. “The operation is ongoing to deal decisively with all terrorist networks operating within Kwara State,” the statement said.
