Hussaini Kafi in Kano
The Minister of Defense, Alhaji Muhammed Badaru Abubakar, has stated that security in the North-West and North-Central regions of Nigeria has significantly improved due to ongoing coordinated military operations against banditry and insurgency.
In a statement released on Monday by his Personal Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mari Ali, Badaru made this known while speaking in Birnin Kudu, Jigawa State.
He highlighted the progress made in Zamfara, Sokoto, Niger, Katsina, and Kaduna states, where communities are beginning to recover from past security challenges.
Badaru reiterated the federal government’s commitment to eliminating terrorism and banditry before the end of the year.
“Going by public comments from opinion leaders, civil society organizations (CSOs), and residents of affected areas, everyone acknowledges that banditry and terrorism have reduced,” he said.
He assured that despite these positive developments, security forces would not relent in consolidating the gains made so far.
“We will continue to build on our achievements and provide our armed forces with all the necessary logistical support to end insurgency this year,” he added.
Regarding the strained diplomatic relations between Nigeria and Niger Republic, the minister dismissed any notion of hostility, emphasizing that both countries share strong historical and cultural ties.
“We have always said that Nigeria and Niger are like brothers. We cannot engage in any action, no matter how small, that would harm Niger Republic. Anyone trying to incite division between our two nations will not succeed,” he stated.
The minister urged Nigerians to continue supporting security agencies by providing credible intelligence that could aid in tackling insurgents and their collaborators.
“We need the public to stand with security agencies by sharing real and useful information on the identities and locations of bandits, terrorists, and those who support them,” he said.
The federal government remains optimistic that with sustained military action and public cooperation, peace and stability will be fully restored across the affected regions.
