Nigeria defence minister says locals aid terrorists

Nigeria's Defence Minister, General Christopher Musa, has stated that the nation's persistent security challenges are sustained by local collaborators who provide criminal groups with essential support. Speaking at a national discourse in Lagos on Friday, June 12, the minister argued that lasting security requires not only military action but also the active cooperation of citizens to defeat these threats from within.

Musa made the remarks at the 2026 edition of The Platform Nigeria, an event held as part of Democracy Day celebrations. He said terrorist, bandit, and insurgent groups continue to thrive because they receive food, intelligence, logistics, and funding from people living in affected communities. He described this local assistance as the "oxygen" that keeps criminal networks alive.

The minister contrasted modern security threats with conventional warfare, where enemies were clearly identifiable as opposing states. He noted the most dangerous aspect of current campaigns is when the enemy operates from within the same society security forces are trying to protect. Military and security agency efforts, he stressed, would remain extremely difficult without public support...