Communities, Financiers Sustaining Terrorism, Banditry — Defence Minister
Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, has attributed the persistence of terrorism, banditry and insurgency in the country to the support criminal groups receive from local collaborators and financiers.
According to Daily Trust Newspaper, he spoke at the 2026 edition of The Platform Nigeria during Democracy Day celebrations, the minister said security agencies face significant challenges because many criminal elements operate with assistance from individuals within affected communities.
According to Musa, terrorists and bandits continue to survive through access to food, intelligence, logistics and other forms of support provided by members of the public. He stressed that such assistance serves as the “oxygen” that keeps criminal networks active despite ongoing military operations.
The minister noted that modern security threats differ from conventional warfare, where enemies are clearly identifiable, explaining that today’s adversaries are often embedded within the very communities security agencies are working to protect.
He questioned the sources of funding, intelligence and logistical support sustaining criminal groups, insisting that citizens must play a more active role in exposing collaborators and denying criminals the resources they need to operate.
Musa emphasized that military and security agencies alone cannot defeat insecurity without the cooperation of the public. He urged Nigerians to support security efforts by sharing credible information and resisting attempts by criminal groups to exploit ethnic, religious and political differences.
The defence minister also called for greater national unity, warning that divisions within society create opportunities for terrorists, bandits and other criminal elements to advance their activities.
He maintained that lasting peace and security can only be achieved through collective action between security agencies and citizens.
