Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (retd.), has attributed the persistence of terrorism, banditry and other security challenges in the country to the support criminal groups receive from some members of local communities.
Musa made the assertion while speaking at the June 12 edition of The Platform, organised by The Covenant Nation in Lagos.
According to the minister, the activities of terrorists and bandits are sustained by individuals who provide them with food, water, intelligence and other forms of logistical support.
He said the involvement of community members has made the fight against insecurity more difficult.
“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,” he said.
The Defence Minister noted that there have been several reports of individuals aiding criminal groups by supplying them with essential needs and information.
“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. We call this the oxygen,” Musa stated.
He further questioned the sources of funding and support available to the criminal elements.
“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.
Musa stressed the need for greater cooperation between security agencies and local communities, noting that tackling insecurity requires collective responsibility and active support from citizens.
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