Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (rtd), has explained why terrorism, banditry and other forms of insecurity in Nigeria appear difficult to address.
The former Chief of Defence Staff, who made the remarks on Friday, while speaking at a conference in Lagos, said the persistence of insecurity is partly due to the support criminal groups receive from individuals within local communities.
Speaking on the issue, Musa said, “Banditry, insurgency, terrorism. Why does it seem so difficult to deal with it? Perhaps, we have the people that are also encouraging and supporting these things from happening because the terrorists, the bandits, survive around the people. There are several stories of how people have aided them in giving them food, giving them water, and giving them information, and these are the things that keep them going, and we call this the oxygen.
“Who is funding them? Who are those giving them information? Who are those giving them the logistics that keep them going? It is still the people”, he added.
The Minister’s remarks come amid ongoing security operations and public frustration over persistent attacks. In his Democracy Day address also on Friday, President Bola Tinubu declared that those financing and sponsoring terrorism, banditry and kidnapping will “pay dearly”, issuing a strong ultimatum to criminals and their backers.
The Defence Minister noted that in the past, warfare was clearly defined between states, but current threats are embedded within communities. “Conventional warfare in the past used to be state to state, country to country, so you know who your enemy is. The most dangerous aspects of battle or campaign is when the enemy is within”, he noted.
Musa stressed that security agencies cannot succeed without public cooperation and urged Nigerians to support security efforts and report suspicious activities, adding that national unity remains essential in defeating insecurity. “We must continue to work in unity, because it is these gaps that exist between us that this individual sees and try to expand to separate us and divide us and we must not let that happen”, he said.
Speaking on Democracy Day, Musa said June 12 symbolises sacrifice and the collective struggle for democratic governance in Nigeria. He said democracy requires strong institutions, responsible leadership, active citizenship and security to thrive.
Musa called for greater national unity, warning against ethnic, religious and political divisions that could be exploited by criminal elements. “We are all Nigerians; God doesn’t make mistakes, he has a purpose for putting us together”, he said.
He urged citizens to remain vigilant and question narratives that promote division, particularly on social media.
