Nigeria’s battle against banditry which took a turn as Defence Minister Mohammed Badaru Abubakar revealed that some criminal hideouts remain extremely difficult to hit.
The minister said the locations are buried deep inside thick forest zones, limiting the impact of military aerial strikes.
This fresh concern has intensified
debates about the country’s ongoing struggle with asymmetric warfare.
According to Badaru, the situation is more complicated than many assume, even though security forces have made strong progress in recent months.
He noted that the recent school abductions show that the threat still lingers despite ongoing operations.
Moreover, he stressed that the government is adjusting its strategy to prevent further setbacks.
The minister warned that these criminal networks move in unpredictable ways.
He said, “These criminals move in ways typical of guerrilla fighters, quiet for a while, then suddenly striking to create panic.”
Badaru explained that some enclaves remain dangerous to target directly because of nearby civilians and the heavy forest cover.
He added, “Yes, we know their locations, but some of these areas are places where direct strikes could endanger civilians, or forests where our bombs cannot penetrate.”
This challenge has forced the armed forces to review their methods.
Furthermore, he stated that while intelligence has improved, the terrain still poses serious limits to rapid strikes.
Meanwhile, troops are intensifying ground operations to reduce the ability of criminals to regroup.
The minister insisted that the government never declared the conflict over.
He said that the latest abductions have triggered an immediate reassessment of field tactics.
In addition, Badaru revealed that security agencies are working closely with communities to track bandit movements and disrupt attacks.
He assured Nigerians that the renewed incidents do not reflect a collapse in the military campaign.
Instead, they reflect the unpredictable nature of guerrilla-style warfare.
He emphasized that the government is learning from recent cases to strengthen school security and improve quick-response efforts.
Therefore, he urged citizens to stay patient as new strategies are rolled out.
