By: Ahmed Rufa’i
The Minister of Defence, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, has assured Nigerians that the Federal Government will not allow a repeat of attacks on schools across the country.
Speaking in an interview with the BBC Hausa Service monitored in Dutse, the minister said intelligence operatives have been deployed to high-risk areas to forestall further breaches.
According to him, security agencies are on heightened alert. “Our intelligence personnel are everywhere—especially in places with high threat levels—gathering information for lasting solutions,” he said.
Badaru insisted that the recent incidents should not be interpreted as a collapse of security. “We will not be taken unawares again. In recent days, there were some challenges. It is not a total security breakdown, but some breaches which, by God’s grace, will be temporary,” he said.
Reflecting on recent attacks in Borno State, the minister said deep investigations had been conducted, leading to corrective actions. “In the last two months, there were attacks on some military camps. We conducted thorough investigations, identified the problems, and took necessary action. Communities around those areas can testify that there have been no further attacks on our barracks—only a few ambushes, and even those have drastically reduced.”
Badaru added that insecurity in the Northwest had significantly declined in the last two years. “There has been no record of school attacks or student kidnappings in the Northwest in two years. There was also a serious reduction in various forms of attacks. Movement between Abuja and Kaduna and from Zaria to Zamfara was free until the two cases recorded recently,” he stated.
He described the recent wave of abductions—from worship centres and schools—as “unexpected,” but assured that intelligence was being deployed to determine the cause. “We are gathering useful information on what happened and how it happened,” he added.
The former Jigawa governor admitted that isolated attacks still occur, but stressed that government had never declared insecurity completely over. “Our main concern now is the return of attacks on schools and the abduction of students. We are studying what happened and how to eliminate it.”
According to him, the Federal Government has maintained a continuous security arrangement for school protection, which accounted for the two-year break in incidents. “What they did recently was guerrilla-style. They took security operatives unaware just to show their presence,” he said.
Badaru vowed that security agencies would no longer be caught off guard. “By God’s grace, we will not be taken unawares again. We have made important findings and understood what happened. Security will be improved and protection of lives and property will be strengthened.”
He confirmed that the government is investigating reports that soldiers withdrew from a Kebbi school shortly before it was attacked. He assured that disciplinary action would be taken against anyone found culpable.
The minister dismissed insinuations that insurgent groups such as Ansaru and the Lakurawa have regained strongholds. He described them as scattered elements hiding in remote areas and exploiting isolated opportunities to extort rural communities.
“Insurgents hide among the public to avoid harming innocent people during operations. We are monitoring them closely and updating the nation regularly. We will finish them,” he said.
Responding to comments attributed to former U.S. President Donald Trump regarding Nigeria’s security strategy, Badaru said America understands the complexity of guerrilla warfare, “The U.S. faced similar challenges in Afghanistan. They know what it means,” he said.
He added that considering the turmoil in neighbouring countries battling insurgency, Nigeria’s efforts deserve commendation. He disclosed that a Nigerian delegation is currently in the United States for discussions, expressing optimism that all issues will be resolved amicably.
Badaru concluded that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains deeply concerned about abducted students still in captivity and has ordered their immediate and safe rescue.
