Mohammed Badaru, Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, has dismissed claims made by Ahmed Jaha, a member of the House of Representatives, that terrorist groups in the country possess more advanced weapons than the Nigerian military.

Jaha had raised concerns on Tuesday, stating that the terrorists were using armed drones technology the Nigerian Army was not utilizing during a motion on escalating attacks on military formations in Borno and Yobe states.

However, Badaru countered this assertion during a ministerial briefing in Abuja on Wednesday. He emphasized that the Nigerian military is equipped with far superior weapons and drones compared to the terrorist groups.

“Yesterday, the House of Representatives said that the terrorists have better weapons than us,” Badaru remarked. “That is absolutely not true. We have much more sophisticated weapons, and we have much more sophisticated drones.”

While affirming the military’s technological edge, Badaru acknowledged that the real challenge lies in the unpredictable tactics employed by the terrorists, who are often aided by local informants. He pointed out that the terrorists do not use military-grade weapons or drones, but rather civilian drones that have been modified for combat purposes.

The Defence Minister also assured Nigerians that the military is enhancing its intelligence efforts, both locally and internationally, to track and eliminate the supply chains used by the terrorists.

“The issue is this war is not a conventional war. It’s like a guerrilla war. They watch us; they have informants around us,” Badaru explained. “They help the people we try to protect, and they give them information. Then they jump at us when they know that our surveillance mechanisms are looking in other directions.”

Badaru further revealed that out of 53 companies operating within the defence complex, 10 have already started producing military-grade hardware, including drones, aircraft components, and protective gear, contributing to the country’s defense capabilities.