Social commentator Ayotunde Olude has said that the successful rescue of the victims abducted by the Oriire bandits has dealt a significant blow to the criminal group, expressing confidence that the terrorists are more likely to retreat than launch fresh attacks in the immediate future.
Speaking during an interview on TVC News on Saturday, July 11, 2026, Olude praised the coordinated efforts of the Nigerian military and other security agencies involved in the operation, describing the rescue as a major victory in the fight against terrorism.
Reacting to a question about how the bandits might respond after losing the captives, Olude said the group had already been facing sustained military pressure in recent days, making it unlikely that they would immediately regroup for another operation.
According to him, continuous aerial bombardments and ground offensives against terrorist hideouts have weakened the criminals and reduced their operational capacity.
“It’s not a good time for them. In the last few days, their camps have been under constant bombardment. The Air Force and the Army have been killing them. It has been bad for them. So, I think they are going to retreat and fall back into their shell.”
Olude added that he does not believe the Oriire bandits are currently in a position to launch attacks on new vulnerable targets, although he cautioned that such a development would be unfortunate.
“I don’t think they are going to hit any soft target. And if they do, it will be very unfortunate, and I pray they don’t.”
The social commentator further urged the government to sustain military operations against terrorist groups, insisting that security agencies should continue to confront them decisively while strengthening intelligence gathering and community-based security measures to prevent future attacks.
His remarks came in the wake of the successful rescue of the abducted victims, an operation that has been widely celebrated as a major achievement for Nigeria’s security forces……See More
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