The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu, on Thursday visited Gusau, the Zamfara State capital, as part of efforts to strengthen ongoing counter-banditry operations in the North-West.
The COAS, who arrived at the Headquarters of the Joint Task Force, Operation Fansa Yamma, is on an operational tour of frontline formations confronting bandits and other criminal groups in the region.
He was received with full military honours, including a ceremonial guard of honour, by senior commanders.
Shu’aibu 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.
According to military sources, the visit was part of the Army chief’s nationwide tour aimed at assessing troop morale, operational readiness, and progress in ongoing counter-terrorism and anti-banditry campaigns across the country.
Meanwhile, residents in Osun State were thrown into panic on Wednesday night over social media posts alleging an attack on commuters along the Iwo–Osogbo Road.
Several Facebook posts and voice notes circulating on various platforms claimed that bandits were sighted near Osuntedo and Idoo communities, sparking widespread fear.
None of the individuals who circulated the posts provided verifiable details.The Osun State Police Command on Thursday debunked the claims, stressing that no bandit or herdsmen attack occurred on the route.
In a statement, police spokesperson Abiodun Ojelabi clarified that the tension stemmed from a road traffic incident earlier in the day, which escalated after a driver raised a false alarm.
He explained that a Toyota Sienna collided with the rear of a bus around the Gbongan axis. The occupants of the bus, believing their vehicle was unaffected, refused to stop. The Sienna driver, angered by the damage to his vehicle, allegedly mobilised people and falsely accused the bus occupants — two brothers — of being kidnappers.
The alarm reportedly triggered a mob that pursued, attacked the victims and vandalised their bus. A local hunter intervened and rescued them, taking 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 condemned the spread of unverified claims and warned against jungle justice, urging residents to report suspicious activities to the police rather than resort to mob action.
‘False alarms endanger innocent lives’, Ojelabi said, urging the public to verify information before circulating it.
