Shettima Visits Maiduguri on Tinubu’s Orders, Tells Terrorists: “You Will Find No Safe Haven”

Vice President Kashim Shettima turned up in Maiduguri on Saturday with a message from Tinubu and a warning for the people behind Thursday’s attack: “Criminals will find no safe haven under this administration.”

The visit was at Tinubu’s request. A coordinated assault on military positions in Benisheikh left several soldiers dead, including a Brigadier-General, and the President wanted someone there on his behalf.

What happened in Benisheikh

Suspected Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters hit at least three military formations around 12:30am on Thursday. Soldiers who survived said the attackers came in large numbers before pushing into nearby civilian areas. It was one of the most intense attacks the region has seen in months.

How many people actually died depends on who you ask. Operation Hadin Kai says two officers and two soldiers were killed, and that higher figures are false. Other accounts put the toll much higher.

What Shettima said

Standing with the troops, Shettima called the fallen soldiers patriots: “These men wore the uniform for all of us. They stood to protect our communities, our families, and the future of our children.”

He promised sustained military support and said the government would not back down from the fight against insurgency.

The timing is rough. This visit comes after a week where 147 Nigerians were killed across 10 states, and just days after the US placed 23 Nigerian states on a “Do Not Travel” list and pulled its own people out of Abuja. For communities in Borno still living with a 15-year insurgency, presidential condolences are cold comfort unless they come with a real shift in security on the ground.

Sources: Daily Post, PM News, Politics Nigeria, Daily Trust, Sahara Reporters