The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (retd.), has stated that the immense size of the Sambisa Forest, comparable to the entire country of Belgium, is significantly hampering the ability of security forces to swiftly rescue individuals kidnapped by terrorists. He made this disclosure during an interview on Channels Television’s *Politics Today*, where he elaborated on the government's ongoing efforts to combat terrorism and kidnapping.
Forest Size Gives Terrorists an Advantage
General Musa explained that the sheer scale and difficult terrain of the forest provide terrorists with a strategic advantage following their attacks. He noted that kidnappers frequently vanish into the vast bush before security agencies even receive information about an abduction, making it extremely challenging for troops to pinpoint their exact location.
“These places are massive areas. The forest within Kwara comes in from Burkina Faso to Benin Republic into Nigeria and flows through all these things,” he said. “So what they do is that once these abductions are done, before the information gets to anybody, these guys are already into the forest.”
Troops Rescuing Victims Daily, Says Minister
Despite these obstacles, the Minister affirmed that security agencies have successfully rescued many abducted Nigerians, with operations occurring on a daily basis. “Few ones now, efforts have been made. If you notice, on a daily basis now, we are really getting, rescuing a lot of them,” Musa said. He pushed back against public criticism, adding, “So this government is overwhelmed. Sambisa Forest is as big as Belgium, as a country. So when people talk about this, they make it look as if it is one small football field and we are refusing to do anything.”
Musa detailed that troops sometimes must strategically block terrorists from accessing their usual routes and supplies before they can successfully rescue their victims. He referenced a recent operation in Kwara State, where security forces were able to rescue victims after effectively restricting the movement of their abductors. “And then the last one that was done in Kwara State, we had to quarantine where they were going, deny them oxygen, and that’s where we were able to get them,” Musa explained. He added that terrorists sometimes abandon their captives when security forces increase pressure on them, which creates an opportunity for troops to step in and rescue the victims.
Monitoring Ransom Payments and Governor's Advisory
The Defence Minister also revealed that authorities are closely monitoring financial transactions connected to criminal activities, noting that ransom payments could provide crucial intelligence for tracking kidnappers. He confirmed that the Central Bank of Nigeria is involved in these efforts to monitor suspicious funds linked to criminal enterprises.
In a related advisory, General Musa cautioned state governors to be prudent in their distribution of motorcycles as palliatives. He warned that some of these vehicles could potentially fall into the hands of terrorists, inadvertently improving their mobility and operational capabilities.
Despite the considerable challenges posed by Nigeria’s vast forests and difficult terrain, the Minister maintained that security forces are making steady and measurable progress in the ongoing fight against terrorism and kidnapping in the country.
