The Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru, says the recent wave of Boko Haram activities in Nigeria’s North-East region, especially Borno State, is part of a wider push by terrorists to disrupt the stability of the Sahel. He revealed this while addressing journalists during a working visit to military training institutions in Kaduna State.
Badaru stated that the armed forces have recently stepped up operations in response to the renewed threat. According to him, Boko Haram and related insurgent groups are becoming more active again, not only in Nigeria but across neighbouring Sahel countries like Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso.
“If you are following what is happening in Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali, you will see that these attacks have heightened everywhere,” the minister said. “There is a renewed vigour by the insurgents to destabilise the Sahel, we are doing a lot to curtail them, and we will fight it, and normalcy will return by the special grace of God and your prayers.”
He noted that the Nigerian military had made progress over the past two weeks, successfully targeting and neutralising several insurgents. “If you will do justice to us, in the past one or two weeks, you will see that the armed forces are gaining momentum and attacking and eliminating them,” he added.
During his visit to the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) and the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), Badaru inspected ongoing projects and spoke with senior military officials. He explained that the government was using both force and community-based strategies to handle the country’s complex security problems.
In his words, while military force is essential in high-risk zones like the North-East and North-West, other areas, such as Benue State, demand peaceful methods. “In Benue, it’s majorly communal clashes, farmer-herder clashes. We are dealing with that, and on that, you need more of the non-kinetic approach to appease the people and to let them know that they cannot continue attacking each other,” he said.
The minister also spoke about progress in research and development within Nigeria’s military schools. He noted that these institutions are making headway in producing local defence technology. This includes innovations such as Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles (MRAPs) and unmanned aerial systems.
“The institutions are doing a very good job and they are also carrying out the instructions of Mr President in deep research so that we will eventually be self-sufficient in our military requirements, including the platforms and the equipment we need to execute the military functions,” he stated.
Badaru said that relying on locally produced defence tools marks a shift toward national independence in military capabilities. He praised the NDA’s efforts in training young officers, calling their commitment to service commendable.
