Defence Minister Christopher Musa says terrorism and banditry persist in Nigeria because criminal groups receive support, information and logistics from people within local communities.
Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (rtd), has attributed the persistence of terrorism, banditry and other security threats in the country to support allegedly provided by individuals within local communities.
According to DAILY POST, Musa made the remarks during the June 12 edition of The Platform, organised by The Covenant Nation in Lagos.
The Defence Minister said criminal groups continue to thrive because they receive food, water, intelligence and other forms of assistance from members of the public.
“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,” Musa said.
“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.”
He further questioned the sources of support available to criminal groups, asking: “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.”
Musa noted that modern security threats are increasingly difficult to tackle because terrorists and bandits often operate within civilian populations, making it challenging for security agencies to identify and isolate them.
The former Chief of Defence Staff stressed that military operations alone cannot end insecurity, urging Nigerians to cooperate with security agencies by reporting suspicious activities and providing credible intelligence.
According to him, stronger collaboration between citizens and security forces remains crucial to defeating criminal networks and restoring lasting peace across the country.
NEWS NOW:
