The Nigerian Armed Forces, in collaboration with the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), have neutralized 13,543 terrorists and criminals and rescued nearly 10,000 hostages between May 2023 and February 2025.
These results, announced during the 2025 Ministerial Press Briefing on Wednesday in Abuja by Defence Minister, Mohammed Abubakar, highlighted the growing effectiveness of Nigeria’s military strategy in combating insurgency, criminality, and the persistent threat of terrorism.
The coordinated military efforts, primarily concentrated in the volatile northeast region, have been hailed as a significant step forward in the country’s anti-terrorism campaign.
Abubakar emphasised that the military’s operational intensity, particularly in the northeast, has yielded substantial results, thanks to a combination of kinetic and non-kinetic strategies.
According to him, these strategies have proven instrumental in dismantling terrorist networks and reclaiming areas once under insurgent control, allowing the return of thousands of displaced citizens to their homes.
“In addition to the killing of terrorist leaders such as Damina, Kachanda, and Ali Kawaji, the operations have also resulted in the capture of over 17,000 suspects and the surrender of more than 124,000 combatants and their families,” Abubakar said.
“This broad-based success is attributed to a significant improvement in intelligence-sharing and surveillance, especially in the Lake Chad region, where partnerships with international allies have enabled the deployment of advanced monitoring systems.
“These systems have improved the tracking of militant movements, facilitating more coordinated military responses.”
Despite these gains, the Minister of Defence cautioned that Nigeria continues to face significant security challenges.
“Remnants of Boko Haram continue to carry out sporadic drone attacks in the northeast, while banditry and kidnappings persist in the northwest,” he said.
“Additionally, rising ethnic tensions in the north-central region, fueled by resource competition and climate change, continue to complicate the security landscape.”
Acknowledging that military action alone cannot address Nigeria’s deep-rooted security issues, the minister stressed that the country’s security challenges are intertwined with socio-economic and political factors, including poverty, unemployment, and governance deficits.
To address these issues, the Ministry has called for a “whole-of-nation” approach, urging the involvement of not only the military but also civil society and international partners in tackling the root causes of insecurity.
In response to these challenges, he said it has initiated several structural reforms aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s security infrastructure and reducing dependence on foreign defense imports.
“These reforms include the expansion and empowerment of Special Operations Forces, the introduction of a new policy framework designed to enhance self-reliance in defense, and revised military doctrines to better support frontline troops and encourage inter-agency collaboration,” he said.
“Additionally, the establishment of a Joint Warfare Center aims to streamline military operations and increase operational effectiveness.”
According to Abubakar, the administration of President Bola Tinubu has made security a central priority, with a firm stance on addressing the nation’s security concerns.
The Minister confirmed that the military is working in line with the President’s directives to implement a broad range of defense reforms aimed at reinforcing the country’s security posture.
