Presidential Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, says Nigeria’s security agencies know the identities and locations of the bandit groups responsible for recent mass abductions, including the attack on St Mary’s Catholic School, Papiri, Niger State.

He warned, however, that military operations are often restrained by the danger of collateral damage to civilians living around the hideouts.

Speaking during an interview with ARISE News on Monday, Onanuga said: “The security people, they know all the bandits that are operating in that axis. They know them. They know where they operate.”

But despite this intelligence capability, he said the government cannot simply bomb suspected enclaves.

“Our people are living around where they operate. So you can’t just go there,” he noted. “They need to be very careful that in the course of chasing these bandits, they don’t go and bomb innocent Nigerians.”

Onanuga referenced a past error in which the military mistakenly struck civilians:

“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 said uncertainty persists around the exact number of abducted students because the school and the Niger State branch of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) have not provided complete records.

“As of now, the authorities are in the dark as to how many people are really missing,” he said. “You said students are missing — let us have their names. Let us know what we are looking for.”

Onanuga alleged that the school principal had “disappeared”, further obstructing verification.

“For the security, they found it very strange that they are not cooperating. What is the agenda?” he asked.

Onanuga also explained why security forces often do not storm bandit camps immediately after abductions.

“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 bandits understand 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.”

On the President’s decision to redeploy officers from VIP protection to frontline duty, Onanuga said it would significantly improve security coverage in vulnerable communities.

“I read today about 100,000 policemen guarding VIPs. If you share them out to vulnerable areas, that will make a lot of difference,” he said.

Responding to criticism from church leaders, Onanuga insisted the administration recognises the seriousness of the situation.

“This government has never denied that Nigerians are being killed. We know we have problems, but we are making efforts to ensure that we stem all these things,” he said.

He disclosed that President Bola Tinubu is expected to address Nigerians soon following security consultations.

“I think he will do so very soon,”he said. (Arise News)