The Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, has said the vast size and difficult terrain of the Sambisa Forest are among the factors making it challenging for security forces to quickly locate and rescue people abducted by terrorists.
Musa, a retired general, said security agencies had rescued many abducted Nigerians as part of ongoing operations against terrorism and kidnapping, but the ability of terrorists to retreat into large forested areas often complicates rescue efforts.
The minister spoke during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he discussed the Federal Government’s efforts to tackle terrorism, kidnapping and other security threats across the country.
Musa said security forces were making progress in rescuing victims despite the difficult operating environment.
“Few ones now, efforts have been made. If you notice, on a daily basis now, we are really getting, rescuing a lot of them,” he said.
The minister said the scale of the Sambisa Forest should not be underestimated, noting that its size creates significant operational challenges for security agencies.
“So this government is overwhelmed. Sambisa Forest is as big as Belgium, as a country. So when people talk about this, they make it look as if it is one small football field and we are refusing to do anything,” Musa said.
He explained that the combination of the forest’s vast expanse, difficult terrain and the ability of terrorists to move quickly gives them an advantage after carrying out attacks or abductions.
According to him, abductors can disappear into remote areas before security agencies receive information about an incident, making it difficult for troops to immediately determine where the victims have been taken.
“These places are massive areas. The forest within Kwara comes in from Burkina Faso to Benin Republic into Nigeria and flows through all these things,” he said.
Musa added that terrorists often exploit the time between an abduction and the arrival of information to security agencies to gain distance from the scene.
“So what they do is that once these abductions are done, before the information gets to anybody, these guys are already into the forest,” he said.
The minister said security forces sometimes have to focus on cutting off escape routes and restricting the movement of abductors before attempting to reach the victims.
He cited a recent operation in Kwara State in which security forces reportedly rescued abducted persons after limiting the routes available to their captors.
“And then the last one that was done in Kwara State, we had to quarantine where they were going, deny them oxygen, and that’s where we were able to get them,” Musa said.
He explained that increased pressure from troops could also force terrorists to abandon their captives, creating an opportunity for security forces to rescue them.
Beyond military operations, Musa said authorities were also paying attention to the financial networks supporting criminal activities.
He said ransom payments could provide useful information for security agencies investigating kidnapping networks, adding that financial transactions linked to criminal activities were being monitored.
According to the minister, the Central Bank of Nigeria is also involved in efforts to identify suspicious financial activities associated with criminal operations.
Musa further urged state governors to exercise caution when distributing motorcycles as palliatives to residents.
He warned that motorcycles distributed without adequate safeguards could potentially fall into the hands of terrorists and criminal groups, providing them with an easier means of movement across difficult terrain.
The minister maintained that Nigeria’s extensive forests and challenging terrain presented serious obstacles in the fight against terrorism and kidnapping, but insisted that security agencies were making progress.
His comments have, however, sparked debate, particularly over his comparison of the Sambisa Forest with Belgium and his description of the security situation as overwhelming.
Some Nigerians have questioned whether the size of the forest should be cited as a major explanation for difficulties in rescuing abducted persons, while others have argued that the country’s security agencies face genuine operational challenges in vast and difficult-to-access areas.
The debate comes amid continued concerns over terrorism and kidnapping in parts of Nigeria, with security agencies under pressure to improve intelligence gathering, rapid response and the protection of vulnerable communities.
Musa’s remarks have therefore renewed discussions about the need for stronger intelligence networks, faster communication between communities and security agencies, improved surveillance capabilities and sustained military operations in areas used as hideouts by criminal and terrorist groups.
While the government continues to pursue military and financial measures against the groups, the minister’s comments underscore the complexity of securing Nigeria’s remote forests and border areas, particularly where criminal groups can exploit difficult terrain to evade security forces.
