Banditry: We know their hideouts, here’s what is delaying our strike – Badaru

Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, says the Armed Forces already know the hideouts of major bandit groups across the country but are delaying a full-scale strike to avoid civilian casualties and ensure a decisive operation.

Speaking in an interview with the BBC Hausa Service monitored in Kaduna, Badaru said the recent resurgence of school abductions does not mean security agencies are losing ground, describing the attacks as typical of guerrilla warfare where criminals strike sporadically to cause panic.

“This is how guerrilla warfare works,” the minister explained. “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 troops are working “day and night” to dismantle the criminal networks responsible for the violence, insisting that the military is making significant progress despite the setbacks.

Badaru expressed concern over the return of mass school abductions, saying the government has ordered a thorough 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 noted that an earlier framework for school security had helped reduce cases over the last two years.

The minister also confirmed an investigation into reports that security personnel were withdrawn shortly before bandits attacked a girls’ school in Maga, Kebbi State. “We will uncover what happened. If anyone is found culpable, they will be sanctioned,” he stated.

Badaru further acknowledged concerns about bandit groups extorting rural communities, explaining that military operations in such areas are conducted with extreme caution to avoid collateral damage.