The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Monday, disclosed that security agencies have full intelligence on the identities and hideouts of the bandit groups behind recent mass abductions, including the attack on St. Mary’s Catholic School, Papiri, Niger State.
Naijaonpoint reports that Onanuga made the revelations while speaking on Arise News’ Prime Time programme.
The presidential aide said operatives are not in doubt about who is carrying out the attacks.
“The security people, they know all the bandits that are operating in that axis. They know them. They know where they operate,” he said.
He, however, noted that the presence of civilians in and around the bandits’ camps has made direct military strikes risky.
Onanuga explained that although security operatives have actionable intelligence, they must avoid operations that could harm innocent Nigerians held hostage.
“Our people are living around where they operate. So you can’t just go there. They need to be very careful that in the course of chasing these bandits, they don’t go and bomb innocent Nigerians,” he said.
He recalled a previous incident in Borno State where the military accidentally bombed civilians while acting on faulty coordinates.
“Some years ago in Borno State, when the military thought they had the right satellite connection, they bombed the wrong people. They must avoid that kind of mistake,” he added.
Onanuga said uncertainty persists over the exact number of missing students from St. Mary’s Catholic School because key stakeholders have not provided accurate lists.
“As of now, the authorities are in the dark as to how many people are really missing. You said students are missing, let us have their names. Let us know what we are looking for,” he said.
He also claimed the behaviour of school officials had raised concerns.
“The school principal has disappeared. For the security, they found it very strange that they are not cooperating. What is the agenda?” he queried.
Onanuga stressed that bandits deliberately use abducted Nigerians as human shields, complicating rescue efforts.
“What sometimes restrains them from going after them is the risk of collateral damage. They go about abducting our people and use them as a shield so that they will not be attacked,” he said.
He added that the criminals are fully aware of the consequences of defying government pressure.
“They know that if they keep those people and refuse to release them, the next thing will be for the government to embark on a kinetic action and attack their base,” he stated.
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