The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (retd.), has said the vast size of the Sambisa Forest is overwhelming security forces and making the rescue of kidnapped victims more difficult.

Musa made the disclosure while speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he defended the government’s response to terrorism and kidnapping in the country.

The minister said security forces had continued to rescue abducted Nigerians, but terrorists often escaped into expansive forest areas before troops could locate them.

He said the scale of the Sambisa Forest was often underestimated by Nigerians, noting that it was comparable in size to Belgium.

“Few ones now, efforts have been made. If you notice, on a daily basis now, we are really getting, rescuing a lot of them,” Musa said.

“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.”

According to Musa, terrorists exploit the vast forest terrain to evade security agencies after carrying out abductions.

He said the groups could move into the forests before information about an attack reached security agencies, making it difficult for troops to immediately establish their location.

“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.

“So what they do is that once these abductions are done, before the information gets to anybody, these guys are already into the forest.”

The minister said security forces sometimes have to cut off terrorists from their routes and supplies before they can successfully rescue abducted victims.

He cited a recent operation in Kwara State, where troops were able to rescue victims after restricting the movement of the abductors.

“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.

Musa said terrorists sometimes abandon their captives when security forces intensify pressure on them, creating opportunities for the victims to be rescued.

He also disclosed that authorities were tracking financial transactions linked to criminal activities, noting that ransom payments could provide leads that would help security agencies trace kidnappers.

The minister said the Central Bank of Nigeria was involved in efforts to monitor funds suspected to be connected to criminal operations.

Musa further urged state governors to reconsider distributing motorcycles as palliatives, warning that some of the vehicles could eventually fall into the hands of terrorists and enhance their mobility.

The Defence Minister maintained that security forces were making progress in the fight against terrorism and kidnapping despite the challenges posed by the vast terrain where criminal groups operate. (The Sun)