Defence Minister Mohammed Badaru Abubakar has said that bandits and terrorists are hiding in the forests to avoid bombs.

The minister stated this in an interview with the BBC Hausa Service, which was monitored in Gusau, the capital of Zamfara State.

He highlighted the dangers of bombing bandits’ hideouts, noting that military operatives are close to ending banditry in the country, even amid recent school kidnappings.

Badaru pointed out that the pattern of attacks resembles guerrilla tactics. Criminal groups strike unexpectedly to create fear.

“This is how guerrilla warfare operates. There are calm times followed by attacks that alarm the nation,” the minister added.

He said that they know the locations of these groups, but some areas are risky for civilians, noting that some forests are inaccessible to bombs.

“We never claimed the problem was fully resolved. However, the recent kidnappings of schoolchildren concern us. We are analysing what went wrong and how to avoid it in the future.”

Army advances against banditry

Yesterday, Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, stated that the Armed Forces are making progress in dismantling the networks responsible for banditry, despite a recent resurgence in school abductions.

Speaking in an interview with the BBC Hausa Service, the minister described the pattern of attacks as consistent with guerrilla tactics, in which criminal groups strike intermittently to instil fear.

“This is how guerrilla warfare works. There will be periods of calm, and then they launch an attack that shakes the nation. 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,” he said.

Badaru confirmed that troops are working continuously to neutralise these networks. He expressed concern over renewed attacks on schools and noted that the government has ordered a full investigation into recent incidents.

“We never said the problem was completely over. But this renewed kidnapping of schoolchildren worries us. We are studying what went wrong and how to prevent a recurrence,” he said.

He also confirmed investigations into reports that security personnel were withdrawn shortly before a bandit attack on a girls’ school in Maga, Kebbi State, adding, “We will uncover what happened. If anyone is found culpable, they will be sanctioned.”

The minister acknowledged ongoing challenges with bandit groups extorting rural communities while stressing that military operations are conducted cautiously to avoid civilian casualties. In response to remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump regarding alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria, Badaru said officials were engaging with the U.S. government to address the claims.

“Our leaders have been there, and discussions are ongoing. By God’s grace, there will be understanding,” he said, noting that Nigeria maintains defence partnerships with several countries.