The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, has revealed that Nigeria spends about $100,000 (approximately ₦150 million) on a single medium-range precision weapon used in drone warfare.
Speaking in an interview, Musa described drone operations as highly capital-intensive, stressing the need for careful deployment. “If you strike once, that’s $100,000. How many can we afford to buy? We have to be very careful about where we deploy it to ensure it makes the desired impact,” he said.
He cited a recent operation in which the military killed over 100 insurgents and destroyed more than 50 motorcycles. According to him, the strike was effective because it was well-timed and executed when the drone was available.
The CDS lamented Nigeria’s lack of real-time satellite technology, which he said was critical for modern warfare. “These technologies are extremely expensive because we don’t produce them ourselves, and unfortunately, our enemies often exploit this limitation,” he noted.
Musa disclosed that it took Nigerian security forces about six years to track down leaders of the Ansaru terrorist group, highlighting the challenges of counterinsurgency operations. He also expressed concern that some communities still support insurgents by offering them food and shelter under the guise of religious solidarity, before later falling victim to exploitation and taxation by the groups.
He said current efforts are focused on eliminating the Lakurawa group from the North-West, while also calling for the introduction of security studies in primary schools to strengthen civic awareness and national defence from an early age.
