Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa, has explained the difficulty of securing Sambisa Forest, saying its vast size makes the military operation there far more complex than many people assume.

Musa said the forest should not be viewed as a small, easily contained area, stressing that its scale presents a major challenge to security forces operating against insurgents.

“Sambisa Forest is as big as Belgium as a country, so when people talk about these things, they make it look as if it is one small football field and we are refusing to do anything,” he said.

His remarks come amid continued military efforts to contain insurgent activity in parts of northeastern Nigeria, where Sambisa Forest has historically served as a stronghold for Boko Haram and other armed groups.

The forest has been the focus of several military operations over the years, with Nigerian forces carrying out ground and aerial operations against insurgents operating in the area.

Musa’s comments were aimed at putting the security challenge into perspective, arguing that the scale of the terrain makes the fight considerably more demanding than public discussions sometimes suggest.

The comparison with Belgium has circulated widely following his remarks, although estimates of the size of Sambisa Forest vary considerably depending on the boundaries and definition used. The comparison should therefore be understood as Musa’s description of the scale of the area rather than a settled geographical measurement.

The defence minister’s broader argument was that the complexity of the terrain and the continued presence of armed groups require sustained military efforts rather than an expectation of an immediate resolution.

Recent xenophobic protests in South Africa are having an economic impact, with some businesses struggling after foreign workers and traders left the country.

The situation has been particularly evident in Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal, where clothing manufacturers have reported losing significant numbers of migrant workers following anti-immigrant protests. Factory owners say the departures have left some production lines short of workers and raised concerns about possible closures.

The protests were driven in part by demands that undocumented migrants leave South Africa, amid claims by anti-immigration groups that foreigners are taking jobs from South Africans. However, employers and labour analysts have disputed the idea that migrant workers can simply be replaced, pointing to skills shortages and the unattractiveness of some low-paid and physically demanding jobs to local workers.

Reuters reported that three clothing factories in Newcastle had lost between 12 and 19 per cent of their workforces during the protests. One factory owner warned that the combined effect of labour shortages and declining orders could push businesses towards closure.

The wider impact extends beyond factories. South Africa’s spaza-shop economy has also been affected, with many foreign-owned small businesses targeted during recent anti-migrant actions. The New Humanitarian reported that the country’s large network of spaza shops plays an important role in neighbourhood economies, providing employment and access to everyday goods.

The developments have created an uncomfortable economic reality: campaigns demanding the removal of foreign workers and business owners can also disrupt businesses and supply chains that rely on their labour and participation.

While reports of South Africans wanting foreign business owners and workers to return have circulated, the broader evidence is more nuanced. The economic difficulties are documented, but it would be misleading to suggest that South Africans as a whole are demanding the return of foreigners.

Ervin Joaquin Gutierrez, 22, was arrested and charged with an open count of murder after allegedly shooting his 25-year-old cousin, Nathaniel Cavazos, during a dispute over the spiciness of green chile enchiladas at an apartment complex in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on 27 August 2026.

Police responded to reports of gunfire at the Copper Hills apartment complex in northeast Albuquerque shortly after 11 p.m. Cavazos was found unresponsive on a walkway outside the complex with multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to court documents and witness accounts cited by local media, Gutierrez had travelled from Roswell to Albuquerque to spend time with Cavazos and another cousin. The group spent part of the afternoon drinking and preparing green chile enchiladas.

The disagreement reportedly began during dinner after Gutierrez repeatedly claimed that the chile in his enchiladas was hotter than the chile in Cavazos’ dish.

Cavazos reportedly argued that the cousins had prepared the food together and that the dishes should therefore have the same level of heat.

A third cousin attempted to ease the tension by suggesting that they take a walk with a dog, according to the witness account. The attempt did not settle the disagreement, which later developed into a physical confrontation.

The witness told investigators that Cavazos punched Gutierrez, leaving him bleeding.

Court records cited in local reports state that Cavazos subsequently attempted to walk away. Gutierrez allegedly produced a handgun and fired several times, striking Cavazos in the back. One local report based on the witness account said three or four shots were fired.

A handgun believed to belong to Cavazos was later found roughly 10 yards from where his body was discovered. The witness said Cavazos did not have the firearm drawn when the shooting occurred.

The presence of the firearm may become significant as the case proceeds, particularly because reports say Gutierrez later claimed that he had acted in self-defence.

After the shooting, Gutierrez left the scene. He later surrendered to police in downtown Albuquerque and was taken into custody. He remains accused, rather than convicted, and the case is continuing through the courts.

The case has attracted attention because the reported dispute began over something seemingly minor before escalating into a fatal confrontation.

However, the circumstances surrounding the shooting remain a matter for investigators and the courts. The allegation that Gutierrez acted in self-defence has not been established as fact, while prosecutors will have to present their case through the judicial process.