Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (retd.), has explained how security forces rescue abducted victims without necessarily killing or arresting the terrorists holding them.

Musa said the military often relied on intelligence, tactical manoeuvres and the isolation of terrorist groups to force them to abandon their captives.

He said once the location of terrorists was identified, troops could block their escape routes and prevent them from receiving essential supplies such as food, water and fuel.

The minister explained that terrorists frequently fled when they detected the presence of security forces, particularly when confronted with aerial surveillance or drones, leaving their captives behind.

“Sometimes if you carry out manoeuvres. The funny thing is, the terrorists too don’t want to die,” Musa said while speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday.

He said the approach had been used in recent operations, including rescue missions in Kwara State and other parts of northern Nigeria.

According to him, denying terrorists access to basic supplies was important because continued support from people sneaking in food, water and fuel enabled the criminals to sustain their operations.

Musa also said ransom payments could provide security agencies with an opportunity to trace terrorist networks through their financial transactions.

He disclosed that the Central Bank of Nigeria was working to track funds linked to criminal activities, which could help security agencies identify those behind such operations.