Boko Haram Insurgents Now Targeting Nigeria, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger – FG

The Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru, has attributed the renewed Boko Haram attacks in the North-East, particularly in Borno State, to a broader agenda aimed at destabilising the Sahel region, which includes Nigeria, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger Republic.

Badaru stated this during a two-day working visit to military institutions in Kaduna State, including the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) and the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT).

“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. Normalcy will return by the special grace of God and your prayers,” the minister said.

The defence chief insisted that despite the uptick in attacks, the Nigerian Armed Forces had made significant progress in recent weeks.

“If you are following what is happening in Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali, you will see that these attacks have heightened everywhere.

“If you will do justice to us, in the past one or two weeks, you will see that the armed forces are gaining momentum, attacking and eliminating them,” Badaru said.

Addressing journalists after inspecting ongoing construction projects, Badaru emphasised the importance of using a dual approach—combining military force with community engagement—to address the nation’s multifaceted security challenges.

“In the North-West, we have bandits, and we are dealing with them. 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,” he explained.

The Minister lauded the research and development strides at the NDA and AFIT, expressing optimism that Nigeria would soon reduce its dependence on foreign military hardware.

Badaru highlighted ongoing innovations, including the development of Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles (MRAPs) and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), as proof that Nigeria is gradually shifting from import dependency to domestic production.

The Commandant of the NDA, Major General Abdul-Khalifa Ibrahim, thanked the Federal Government for its sustained support and infrastructure upgrades at the academy.

“We appreciate the resources provided to us, and we remain committed to producing highly trained, committed officers for the Nigerian Armed Forces,” he said.