The Minister of Defence, Mohammed Abubakar, has dismissed claims by the House of Representatives suggesting that terrorists possess more advanced weapons than the Nigerian Armed Forces.
Speaking during a ministerial briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, Abubakar said the assertion was false, maintaining that the military remains better equipped in terms of arms and technology.
“Yesterday, the House of Representatives said that terrorists have better weapons than we do. That is absolutely not true. We have much more sophisticated equipment and drones,” he stated.
The minister clarified that terrorism in Nigeria is not fought through traditional combat but through unconventional means.
“This war is not a conventional one; it’s more like guerrilla warfare. They monitor us, they have informants within the communities we are trying to protect, and they strike unexpectedly,” he explained.
“Our surveillance cannot cover every area at once, but that doesn’t mean they are better armed. We are more advanced in terms of equipment, and that’s why we’ve recorded successes,” he added.
The minister’s remarks followed concerns raised in the House of Representatives on Tuesday over the resurgence of terrorist activity, particularly in the North-East. Lawmakers cited a deadly ambush on a military facility in Giwa, Borno State, as a troubling indication that insurgents may have access to more potent weaponry.
There were also fears expressed about the increasing threats from Boko Haram and ISWAP in Borno and Yobe States, with some lawmakers speculating that terrorists might be using armed drones.
In response, the minister downplayed such claims, clarifying that available intelligence showed no evidence of military-grade drones being used by the terrorists.
“From what we’ve gathered so far, they don’t have armed drones. What we’ve seen are basic, commercial drones modified by tying explosives to them—improvised devices. These are not sophisticated or military-grade drones with strategic targeting capabilities,” Abubakar said.
He also noted that the federal government was intensifying its intelligence-gathering efforts and collaborating with international partners to track and shut down illicit arms supply routes.
“We are beefing up our intelligence both nationally and internationally. We are also working closely with global partners to trace sources of illicit arms and shut them down. This includes monitoring the use of civilian drones more closely,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Senate has agreed to organize a two-day national security summit aimed at addressing current security challenges. An ad hoc committee has been set up to coordinate the event, which will include stakeholders from all levels of government and traditional institutions.
Despite skepticism from some lawmakers about the effectiveness of another summit, the motion was adopted. Senate President Godswill Akpabio has directed immediate preparations for the meeting.
Reacting to the upcoming summits proposed by both chambers of the National Assembly, the defence minister expressed support but emphasized that actionable strategies were more crucial.
“Summits are helpful, but what’s more important is the implementation of strategies that address the root causes and changing dynamics of insecurity,” he stated.
