The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (retd.), has said the vast size of the Sambisa Forest and other forest belts across the country is making it difficult for security forces to quickly rescue Nigerians kidnapped by terrorists.
Musa made this known during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday, while speaking on government efforts to tackle terrorism and kidnapping.
According to him, security agencies have rescued many abducted Nigerians in recent months. However, he said kidnappers often escape into large forest areas before troops can locate them.
“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.
The Minister explained that the size and difficult terrain of the forests give terrorists an advantage after carrying out attacks. He added that by the time information about an abduction gets to security agencies, the abductors are already deep inside the bush.
“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.”
Musa said troops sometimes have to block terrorists from accessing their usual routes and supplies before victims can be rescued. He cited a recent operation in Kwara State where security forces rescued victims after 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 said.
He added that terrorists sometimes abandon their captives when security forces increase pressure, giving troops an opportunity to rescue the victims.
The Defence Minister also said authorities are monitoring financial transactions connected to criminal activities. He noted that ransom payments could provide useful leads for tracking kidnappers, and that the Central Bank of Nigeria is involved in monitoring suspicious funds linked to crime.
Musa further advised state governors to be cautious about distributing motorcycles as palliatives. He warned that some of the vehicles could end up in the hands of terrorists and improve their mobility.
He maintained that despite the challenges posed by Nigeria’s vast forests and difficult terrain, security forces are making progress in the fight against terrorism and kidnapping.
Musa’s comments have since generated heated debate online, with many Nigerians questioning the government’s strategy for securing forests and preventing abductions.
