From Molly Kilete, Abuja
The federal government has dismissed claims that terrorists are gaining the upper hand in Nigeria’s counter-terrorism efforts, asserting that the Nigerian armed forces are well-equipped and actively working to neutralise Boko Haram and other criminal groups.
Defence Minister Mohammed Badaru, speaking at a ministerial briefing in Abuja, refuted House of Representatives’ concerns raised after a March 2025 attack on a military installation in Giwa, Borno State, where lawmakers suggested insurgents were better armed than Nigerian troops.
Badaru countered, “Yesterday, the House of Assembly said, House of National Assembly and House of Representatives said, that the terrorists have better weapons than us. That is absolutely not true. We have much more sophisticated weapons and we have much more sophisticated drones.”
He attributed challenges to insurgents’ guerrilla tactics and local informants rather than military inferiority, noting terrorists exploit gaps in surveillance and community intelligence.
Addressing terrorist drone usage, Badaru clarified that groups like Boko Haram and ISWAP use modified civilian drones, not military-grade ones. “They’re not using armed drones with strategic guidance. We are doubling our intelligence efforts, both locally and internationally, to track and cut off supply sources,” he said. Additionally, he acknowledged the Senate’s proposed national security summit but emphasised that strategic execution outweighs dialogue. “Summit will give you some inputs for the strategy… but strategy is much more important,” he stated, citing consultations with past defence ministers and service chiefs.
Badaru noted progress in local defence manufacturing, with the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) hosting 53 companies at its Kaduna complex. “About 10 of these companies have already commenced production, including the manufacturing of drones, aircraft components, personal computers, helmets, safety vests, and other equipment,” he said, targeting 20 operational companies by year-end and exports by 2026.
Support from President Bola Tinubu, the Kaduna Governor, and the Chief of Defence Staff is driving DICON’s revitalisation, including potential collaboration with Ajaokuta Steel Company.