•••Christopher Musa blames community collaborators, urges citizens to expose criminal networks
The Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, has raised concerns over the role of local informants and collaborators in sustaining terrorism and banditry across the country, warning that insecurity cannot be defeated without the active support of citizens.
Speaking at the 2026 edition of The Platform Nigeria, organised to commemorate Democracy Day, the minister said criminal groups continue to thrive because they receive intelligence, logistics and other forms of support from individuals within affected communities.
According to him, terrorists and bandits depend heavily on collaborators who provide information, food, water and other forms of assistance that enable them to evade security operations and prolong their activities.
He described such local informants as the “oxygen” that keeps terrorist groups alive, stressing that the challenge of insecurity goes beyond military action and requires collective responsibility.
The minister noted that unlike conventional warfare, modern security threats are often sustained by people living within the same communities under attack, making it imperative for citizens to work closely with security agencies.
“There are several stories of how people have aided them by giving them food, water and information, and these are the things that keep them going,” he said.
Badaru urged Nigerians to be vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities, adding that community cooperation remains critical to the success of ongoing counter-terrorism operations.
He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to restoring peace and security across the country, assuring that efforts were being intensified to dismantle criminal networks and bring perpetrators and their sponsors to justice.
The minister maintained that defeating insurgency and banditry would require a whole-of-society approach involving government institutions, security agencies, traditional leaders and ordinary citizens.
His remarks come amid renewed efforts by the Federal Government to strengthen national security and curb the activities of terrorists, bandits and other violent groups operating in different parts of the country.
