Abuja, May 16, 2025 — The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, on Friday issued a stark warning that jihadist groups expelled from the central Sahel region are increasingly crossing into Nigeria through its porous borders, escalating violence in the country’s northern and middle belt regions.
Speaking after a closed-door security briefing with President Bola Tinubu at the Aso Rock Villa in Abuja, Gen. Musa emphasized the urgent need for enhanced border security and stronger regional cooperation to counter the growing threat.
He pledged that the Nigerian armed forces would deploy tighter border controls, expand air surveillance capabilities, and intensify collaboration with neighboring states to neutralize the insurgent incursions.
“What has happened recently is that there’s a global push by terrorists and jihadists all over the Sahel area, and that pressure is what actually came into Nigeria because of the porous nature of our borders,” Gen. Musa said.
He highlighted the ongoing challenges posed by Nigeria’s extensive 4,000-kilometre land borders, which he acknowledged have allowed militant groups to slip through and foment unrest.
The increased jihadist activity follows a wave of political upheaval and military coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger between 2020 and 2023.
These events have destabilized the Sahel, creating a security vacuum exploited by terrorist organizations, notably the Islamic State Sahel Province (ISSP) and the al-Qaeda-linked Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM).
According to data from the Armed Conflict and Location Event Data Project (ACLED) in March 2025, attacks by these groups surged by more than 40 percent, pushing hundreds of fighters southward into Nigeria, Benin, and Togo.
The United Nations Security Council’s April 2025 forecast also raised alarms about a “widening arc of infiltration” along the Benin-Niger-Nigeria borderlands, underscoring the growing regional threat.
ACLED reports further indicate that jihadist incidents are gradually encroaching on Kaduna, Niger, and Plateau states following intensified offensives in the Sahel’s dry season. Gen. Musa reassured that the Nigerian military remains vigilant and proactive in its response.
“Our meeting today is for us to review the entire security situation in the country. The president is concerned about what’s going on, and we have reassured him that we’re on top of our game. We’re working extremely hard,” he said.
The Defence Chief revealed that President Tinubu has authorized the acquisition of new equipment, including advanced air assets, to enhance surveillance and rapid response capabilities.
He stressed that the fight against terrorism requires a dual approach combining kinetic operations with robust intelligence, community engagement, and other non-kinetic strategies.
“So Mr. President has given directives for us to intensify our efforts, collaborate with all our sister countries around, because it is the porous nature that is actually aggravating our issues on the ground. All our theatres have been enhanced. Equipment has been bought. Mr. President has also given us many approvals for air assets and other aspects of security,” Gen. Musa explained.
With jihadist groups adapting and exploiting regional instability, Nigeria faces an increasingly complex security environment.
The government’s commitment to fortifying borders and enhancing regional cooperation will be critical to stemming the tide of violence and protecting vulnerable communities in the north and middle belt.
As the threat landscape evolves, security experts emphasize that a coordinated multi-dimensional strategy, combining military strength with diplomatic and socio-economic efforts, remains vital to safeguarding Nigeria’s sovereignty and stability.
