Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, has revealed that bandits and terrorists are retreating deep into forested areas to evade military airstrikes.
Badaru made the disclosure in an interview with the BBC Hausa Service, monitored in Gusau, the Zamfara State capital.
According to him, while security forces have made significant gains against banditry, the nature of recent attacks shows a shift towards guerrilla-style operations, sporadic assaults aimed at creating panic among civilians.
“This is how guerrilla warfare operates. There are periods of quiet, followed by sudden attacks that unsettle the entire nation,” he explained.
Badaru said the military has identified the locations of several criminal groups, but some areas are too close to civilian settlements, making direct airstrikes risky.
Other hideouts, he noted, are dense forests that bombs cannot easily penetrate.
He acknowledged concerns over the renewed abductions of schoolchildren, saying the government is reviewing recent incidents to prevent similar occurrences.
“We never said the problem was completely solved. But these fresh kidnappings trouble us. We are analysing what went wrong and how to avoid a recurrence,” he said.
Reiterating the government’s commitment to ending banditry, Badaru said the Armed Forces are continuing operations to dismantle the networks behind the attacks.
He confirmed that authorities are investigating reports that security operatives were withdrawn shortly before bandits struck a girls’ school in Maga, Kebbi State.
“We will uncover what happened. Anyone found responsible will face sanctions,” he assured.
The minister also noted ongoing extortion of rural communities by bandit groups, stressing that military operations are deliberately cautious to prevent civilian casualties.
Responding to recent comments by former U.S. President Donald Trump alleging persecution of Christians in Nigeria, Badaru said Nigerian officials are engaging diplomatically with the U.S to clarify the situation.
“Our leaders have visited the U.S., and discussions are ongoing. By God’s grace, there will be mutual understanding,” he said, adding that Nigeria continues to maintain defence cooperation with several countries.
