The Minister of Defence, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, has assured Nigerians that the federal government will not allow a repeat of attacks on schools or abductions of students across the country.

In an interview with BBC Hausa monitored in Dutse, Badaru said intelligence operatives have been deployed to high-risk areas to prevent further incidents. “Our personnel are everywhere—especially in high-threat zones—gathering information for lasting solutions,” he said.

He stressed that recent attacks should not be seen as a collapse of security. “There were some challenges, but this is not a total security breakdown. These breaches, by God’s grace, will be temporary,” he noted.

Reflecting on attacks in Borno State, Badaru said investigations had led to corrective actions. “Communities can testify that there have been no further attacks on our barracks—only a few ambushes, which have drastically reduced,” he said.

The minister highlighted improvements in the Northwest, where no school attacks or student kidnappings have occurred in two years. “There was also a significant drop in other forms of attacks. Movement between Abuja, Kaduna, Zaria, and Zamfara was free until the recent isolated cases,” he added.

Badaru described the recent wave of abductions as “unexpected,” but said intelligence efforts are underway to determine the causes. He assured Nigerians that the government maintains continuous security arrangements for school protection, and that guerrilla-style attacks will no longer catch security forces off guard.

The minister confirmed investigations into reports that soldiers withdrew from a Kebbi school shortly before it was attacked, promising disciplinary action against anyone found culpable.

He also dismissed suggestions that insurgent groups like Ansaru and Lakurawa have regained strongholds, describing them as scattered elements exploiting isolated opportunities. “Insurgents hide among the public to avoid harming innocent people. We are monitoring them closely and will finish them,” he said.

Responding to comments by former U.S. President Donald Trump on Nigeria’s security strategy, Badaru said America understands guerrilla warfare complexities, citing Afghanistan. He noted that Nigeria’s efforts deserve commendation given regional insurgencies and that a Nigerian delegation is currently in the U.S. for discussions.

Badaru concluded by affirming that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains deeply concerned about students still in captivity and has ordered their immediate and safe rescue.