Nigeria’s Defence Minister, General Christopher Musa, has defended the military’s efforts to tackle terrorism, citing the vast size of the Sambisa Forest as one of the challenges confronting security forces.
Musa made the remarks during an interview with Channels Television, where he said the forest is comparable in size to Belgium, stressing that its vast terrain makes it difficult for troops to quickly locate and confront insurgents.
“Sambisa Forest is as big as Belgium as a country, so when people talk about these things, they make it look as if it is one small football field and we are refusing to do anything. Before information about kidnapping gets to us, these guys are already deep into the forest,” he said.
However, the comparison has sparked public debate, with some questioning the accuracy of describing Sambisa Forest itself as being comparable to Belgium in size. Sambisa Forest is estimated at about 518 square kilometres, while Belgium covers roughly 30,500 square kilometres.
The remarks have also triggered calls for the military to rely more heavily on modern surveillance and intelligence-gathering technology, including drones, satellites and other intelligence systems, to track insurgents across difficult terrain.
Some Nigerians have expressed frustration over the continued security challenges in the North-East, arguing that the government should focus on delivering measurable improvements in security rather than explaining the difficulties posed by the terrain.
The debate comes as terrorist activities continue to pose security concerns in parts of the North-East, with Nigerians demanding stronger and more effective counter-insurgency measures.
By Musekir Faisat Omolara
