Christopher Musa, chief of defence staff (CDS), says Nigeria’s battle against banditry, terrorism and other forms of insecurity cannot be won without the active support and cooperation of citizens.
Speaking at the Democracy Day edition of The Platform, a civic engagement programme organised by Poju Oyemade in Lagos, Musa said criminal groups continue to thrive because they receive support, information and logistics from members of the public.
The defence chief noted that while security agencies are working to combat insecurity, the challenge is complicated by the fact that many of those aiding criminal elements live within communities.
“And I can tell you what’s going on with the challenges we have in the country — banditry, insurgency, terrorism,” he said.
“Why does it seem so difficult to deal with it? Perhaps we have people who are also encouraging and supporting these things to happen.”
According to Musa, terrorists and bandits depend heavily on local support networks to sustain their operations.
“The terrorists, the bandits, survive around the people,” he said.
“There are several stories of how people have aided them in giving them food, in giving them water, in giving them information. These are the things that keep them going.”
The CDS described such support as the “oxygen” that enables criminal groups to continue operating.
Musa explained that modern security threats differ significantly from conventional warfare because the enemy is often embedded within the same communities security agencies are trying to protect.
“Conventional warfare in the past used to be state-to-state, country-to-country. So you know who your enemy is,” he said.
“The most dangerous aspect of battle or campaign is when the enemy is within. That individual that you are protecting is the number one enemy trying to take you out.”
NO MILITARY OPERATION CAN SURVIVE WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF THE PEOPLE
The defence chief stressed that no military or security agency can succeed in isolation without public cooperation.
“It is important for us to always remember that the armed forces, the security agencies, no matter what they do, if the people are not ready to support, it makes it extremely difficult,” he said.
Musa, however, commended Nigerians who have continued to support security efforts and urged citizens to remain united in the fight against insecurity.
“I want to appreciate Nigerians that despite these challenges, Nigerians are standing up and ensuring that this menace is dealt with,” he said.
“We must continue to work in unity because it is these gaps that exist between us that these individuals see and try to expand, to separate us and divide us. We must not let that happen.”
