Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (retd.), has explained how Nigerian security forces can rescue abducted victims without necessarily killing or arresting the terrorists holding them.
Musa said the approach relies heavily on intelligence, tactical manoeuvres and sustained pressure on terrorist groups, particularly by identifying their locations, blocking escape routes and disrupting access to basic supplies.
The minister made the disclosure on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday while discussing recent military operations in which kidnapped victims were rescued without the reported deaths or arrests of their captors.
According to Musa, once security forces establish where a terrorist group is holding victims, troops can position themselves to restrict the group's movements and prevent the captors from escaping with their hostages.
He said the presence of military assets can also cause terrorists to flee. In particular, Musa explained that terrorists may scatter when they detect approaching operations, including the use of drones, leaving the abducted victims behind.
The minister said security forces therefore do not always need to engage the captors in a direct firefight to achieve a successful rescue.
He also highlighted the importance of cutting off the supply networks that sustain terrorist groups in remote locations. According to him, such groups depend on access to food, water, fuel and other necessities, sometimes through people who secretly provide them with supplies.
Musa said restricting those supplies can make it increasingly difficult for the terrorists to remain in their hideouts and can contribute to their eventual withdrawal.
The Defence Minister's explanation provides an insight into why some hostage-rescue operations can end with victims being recovered while their captors escape rather than being killed or captured. However, he did not suggest that the same method applies to every operation, as the circumstances surrounding individual kidnappings and terrorist camps differ.
Recent military operations provide examples of victims being recovered after security forces put pressure on criminal or terrorist locations. In June, Nigerian Army troops in Kogi State rescued five kidnap victims who had reportedly been abandoned by terrorists fleeing an intensive military operation in a forest area.
A similar operation in Borno State resulted in the rescue of a woman and her infant son after military action against terrorist hideouts reportedly forced their captors to abandon them. The Joint Task Force said the victims were subsequently taken for medical assessment before being reunited with their community.
Musa also spoke about the financial side of kidnapping, saying ransom payments can potentially leave financial trails that investigators could use to trace criminal networks.
He said the Central Bank of Nigeria was working to strengthen the tracking of funds linked to criminal activities, which could help security agencies follow the movement of suspicious money and identify people connected to criminal networks.
The minister further raised concerns about the use of motorcycles by terrorist and bandit groups. He appealed to state governors to reconsider distributing high-capacity motorcycles as palliatives, arguing that some could eventually find their way into the hands of criminals and improve their ability to move quickly through difficult terrain.
Musa's comments come as the Nigerian military continues operations against terrorism, banditry and kidnapping across several parts of the country. The Defence Headquarters said troops conducted 7,062 operations between July and August, reporting that 777 kidnapped victims were rescued during the period. The military also reported that 1,487 terrorists and insurgents were killed and 354 suspects arrested.
The figures are military-reported operational statistics and cover a wide range of security operations, rather than only hostage-rescue missions.
Musa's explanation shows that military operations against kidnappers and terrorists involve more than direct combat. Intelligence gathering, surveillance, tactical positioning and disruption of supply networks can also play an important role, particularly when the safety of hostages makes a direct confrontation more dangerous.
For families of abducted victims, the strategy is significant because the safest outcome in some situations may be the recovery of hostages without a prolonged gun battle. At the same time, the success of any operation depends on the intelligence available, the location of the victims and the behaviour of the armed group involved.
As security agencies continue efforts to tackle kidnapping and terrorism, the Defence Minister's comments suggest that weakening criminal networks and restricting their ability to operate can sometimes create an opportunity to rescue victims without putting them directly in the middle of a firefight.
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