The Federal Government is tackling a resurgence of Boko Haram activities in Nigeria’s North-East, particularly in Borno State, as part of broader efforts to counter growing insurgent threats across the Sahel region, Defence Minister Mohammed Badaru has disclosed.
Speaking during a two-day working visit to Kaduna State, where he toured military institutions including the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) and the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), the Minister said the spike in attacks reflects renewed attempts by insurgents to destabilise Nigeria and its Sahel neighbours—Mali, Burkina Faso, and the Niger Republic.
“Recent developments across Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso indicate a heightened wave of insurgent activity,” Badaru said. “There is a renewed vigour by these groups to cause instability across the region, but we are taking decisive steps to contain them. In the past two weeks alone, the Armed Forces have gained significant ground, launching offensives and eliminating several insurgents.”
He reassured Nigerians that the government is deploying a comprehensive strategy that combines military operations with community engagement and peacebuilding measures to address the complex security landscape across the country.
“In the North-West, we are confronting banditry head-on. In Benue, where communal and farmer-herder clashes persist, our approach leans more on dialogue and community reconciliation to end the cycle of violence,” he explained.
Highlighting the significance of a dual strategy—kinetic (military) and non-kinetic (diplomatic and socio-economic)—the Minister stressed the importance of winning hearts and minds alongside battlefield victories.
During his inspection of infrastructure projects at NDA and AFIT, Badaru expressed satisfaction with the institutions’ strides in research and development, noting that their innovations could soon reduce Nigeria’s reliance on foreign military hardware.
“The progress here is commendable,” he said. “These institutions are advancing President Bola Tinubu’s directive on indigenous military development. From MRAPs (Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles) to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, they are laying the groundwork for self-reliance in our defence production.”
The Defence Minister added that local production of military platforms and equipment marks a strategic shift towards national security autonomy.
Commending the Nigerian Defence Academy for its commitment to excellence in training future military leaders, Badaru said he was impressed by the institution’s ongoing transformation and the quality of officers being produced.
In his remarks, NDA Commandant, Major General Abdul-Khalifa Ibrahim, expressed gratitude to the Federal Government for its continued support, particularly in providing critical infrastructure upgrades and enhancing the Academy’s training capacity.
