The outgoing General Officer Commanding 8 Division, Major General Ibikunle Ajose, has listed the rescue of more than 1,000 kidnap victims as a major operational success during his 18-month tenure, alongside the recovery of weapons and the disruption of bandit networks across the North-West.
Speaking at his farewell ceremony on Friday in Sokoto, Ajose said the feat was achieved under Sector 2 of Operation Fasan Yamma, noting that sustained pressure on criminal enclaves enabled displaced residents to return to abandoned communities and farmlands during the last farming season.
“In 2025 alone, we recovered over 200 weapons, thousands of rounds of ammunition, and rescued more than 1,000 victims,” he said.
He described the operations as pivotal in restoring civilian confidence.
Ajose also highlighted welfare reforms as key achievements under his stewardship.
He noted that with support from the Chief of Defence Staff and the Chief of Army Staff, “The Division renovated living quarters, constructed new ones, and restored Giginya Cantonment’s waterworks for the first time in nearly two decades.