Defence Minister Mohammed Badaru Abubakar has reaffirmed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's unwavering commitment to defeating terrorism and restoring peace across Nigeria. Speaking at the Northwest Security Summit in Kaduna, the minister delivered a comprehensive assessment of both progress and persistent challenges in the region's security landscape.
Measurable Security Improvements Recorded
The minister highlighted significant improvements in several key transportation routes that were previously dominated by bandits. Movement along Kaduna-Kachia, Kaduna-Birnin Gwari, Jibia-Gurbin Baure, and sections of the Sokoto-Illela corridor has substantially improved, allowing safer passage for residents and goods.
Economic activities have also shown positive signs of recovery. Markets in Kaura Namoda, Shinkafi, Batsari, Giwa, and Kajuru have witnessed increased commercial activities as normalcy gradually returns. Many villages that were completely displaced due to insecurity have now seen residents returning to their homes and livelihoods.
Educational and agricultural sectors are experiencing revitalization with many previously shut schools resuming academic activities under strengthened security protection. Farmers have returned to their fields with enhanced security support, signaling a return to normal agricultural production in affected areas.
Persistent Threats and Evolving Tactics
Despite these gains, Minister Badaru acknowledged that the Northwest continues to face lingering threats from bandits, terror cells, and organized criminal networks. He pointed to recent abductions in Kebbi, Niger, and Kwara states as evidence of shifting tactics by criminal groups.
All victims from Kwara and Kebbi have been successfully released, while a substantial number of those abducted in Niger State have managed to escape captivity. The minister emphasized that criminal networks are deliberately targeting youth, making them vulnerable to recruitment by extremist groups.
Enhanced Security Architecture and Community Support
The security improvements are attributed to stronger synergy among security agencies, which the minister described as "not mere cooperation but unified action." Operation FANSAN YAMMA was cited as a prime example of improved joint operations yielding positive results.
Government is systematically closing deployment gaps through new structures. The National Mission Force Brigade in Samaru Kataf now supports rapid response operations, while the 18 Brigade Tactical Headquarters in Tegina became operational in January 2025. Forward Operating Bases across the region are enhancing military dominance and deterrence capabilities.
Badaru commended Northwest state governors for providing crucial logistics and community support, noting that their complementary security outfits "serve as force multipliers when working with the military." Traditional rulers, women and youth groups, religious leaders, and civil society organizations were also praised for strengthening community resilience and countering misinformation.
Development and Diplomacy as Complementary Strategies
The Federal Government is addressing youth vulnerability through programs like the Nigeria Youth Investment Fund and the 3 Million Technical Talent Programme. Defence must be complemented by development and diplomacy to effectively weaken the drivers of poverty and radicalization, the minister emphasized.
President Tinubu has directed the armed forces to sustain momentum through stronger intelligence fusion, interagency cooperation, and enhanced protection of schools and rural communities. The Defence Ministry expressed readiness to work with all stakeholders to deepen stability and strengthen community confidence across the Northwest.
Kaduna Governor Uba Sani, who attended the summit with representatives from other Northwest states, described security as "fluid, multilayered, and driven by powerful transnational networks." He emphasized that security has become a shared responsibility requiring partnership between governments, communities, families, and citizens.
Governor Sani highlighted the region's transformation from small-scale banditry to a sophisticated ecosystem of organized crime, including well-structured banditry, terrorism, mass abduction, illegal mining, gun-running, human trafficking, smuggling, and sectarian violence. He identified porous borders with Niger Republic as a major driver of violence, enabling armed groups to move seamlessly across international boundaries.
The summit attracted National Assembly lawmakers, traditional rulers, and other dignitaries, supporting national dialogue and accountability within the security sector as Nigeria continues its fight against insecurity.
