The Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, has declared that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains unwavering in his resolve to defeat terrorism and restore peace across Nigeria under the Renewed Hope Agenda. Speaking at the North-West Security Summit in Kaduna, Badaru said the President directed him to reaffirm that “security, unity and community resilience remain at the centre of national progress,” and that government is working towards “a society built on shared prosperity, tolerance and equal respect for every citizen.”
Badaru maintained that the North-West has recorded “measurable progress” against banditry, noting that several key routes once dominated by armed groups have reopened. “Movement on Kaduna–Kachia, Kaduna–Birnin Gwari, Jibia–Gurbin Baure and parts of the Sokoto–Illela corridor has improved significantly,” he said, adding that markets in Kaura Namoda, Shinkafi, Batsari, Giwa and Kajuru are now busier, with many previously displaced villages returning to their homes.
He further disclosed that many schools earlier shut because of attacks “have resumed academic activity under strengthened protection,” while farmers are back on their fields with enhanced security support.
Despite these gains, the minister admitted that the region “continues to face lingering threats from bandits, terror cells and organised criminal networks,” citing recent mass abductions in Kebbi, Niger and Kwara as proof that criminal groups are changing tactics. “All victims from Kwara and Kebbi have been released, while a substantial number from those abducted in Niger have escaped captivity,” he said.
Badaru credited improved “synergy among security agencies,” insisting that “this is not mere cooperation but unified action,” and pointed to Operation FANSAN YAMMA as evidence of more effective joint operations. He highlighted new deployments such as the National Mission Force Brigade in Samaru Kataf, which now supports rapid response, and the 18 Brigade Tactical Headquarters in Tegina, activated in January 2025, alongside multiple Forward Operating Bases that, in his words, are “enhancing dominance and deterrence.”
The minister praised North-West governors for providing logistics and community support, saying their local security outfits “serve as force multipliers when working with the military.” He also commended traditional rulers, women and youth groups, religious leaders and civil society for “strengthening community resilience and countering misinformation.” Badaru warned that criminal networks are deliberately targeting young people, and said the Federal Government is responding with programmes such as the Nigeria Youth Investment Fund and the 3 Million Technical Talent Programme. “Defence must be complemented by development and diplomacy if we are to weaken the drivers of poverty and radicalisation,” he added, noting that Tinubu has ordered the armed forces to sustain momentum through stronger intelligence fusion, inter‑agency cooperation and better protection of schools and rural communities.
Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani attested and described the region as “the ultimate test of our nation’s ability to safeguard its people.” He stressed that “security today is fluid, multilayered, and driven by powerful transnational networks,” arguing that no single institution, “no matter how well‑funded or well‑intentioned,” can tackle the crisis alone. “What began as small‑scale banditry has transformed into a sophisticated ecosystem of organised crime,” Sani warned, listing “well‑structured banditry, terrorism, mass abduction, illegal mining, gun‑running, human trafficking, smuggling, and sectarian violence” as part of an “interlocking wave of violent activities” across Kaduna, Katsina, Kano, Kebbi, Jigawa, Sokoto and other states.
The governor identified the porous border with Niger Republic as “a major driver of violence in the North-West,” explaining that long, sparsely policed routes allow armed groups, traffickers and smugglers to move freely and “retreat across the border whenever pressure mounts.” These same corridors, he said, facilitate the inflow of illegal arms, drugs and other contraband. Calling security “a shared responsibility,” Sani urged governments, communities and citizens to act as partners in confronting the threat.
Badaru that the Defence Ministry also said, “Together, we will deepen stability, strengthen community confidence and decisively advance the Renewed Hope Agenda across the North-West.”
