The Minister of Defence, retired Gen. Christopher Musa, has blamed the persistence of insecurity in Nigeria on individuals and communities that provide shelter and protection to bandits, terrorists, and other criminal elements.
Gen. Musa made the remarks on Saturday night during the 7th OurNigeria News Awards in Abuja, themed “Resilience and Renewal.”
He described the current security challenges in the country as a form of asymmetric warfare, noting that unlike conventional wars, the enemy often resides within communities, making military action alone insufficient to tackle the menace.
“This is asymmetric warfare. It is not like conventional warfare where you are fighting another country. In this case, the enemy is within, and that makes it more dangerous,” Musa said.
The Defence Minister explained that criminals frequently operate from within communities, blending in as ordinary citizens. This, he said, makes timely intelligence gathering and prompt reporting by the public crucial.
“You cannot see it on someone’s face. It could be someone you think is your friend or someone you trust. That is why people must not give criminals any safe haven,” he warned.
Musa urged Nigerians to report all forms of criminal activity, including banditry, kidnapping, terrorism, and insurgency, assuring that security agencies would respond decisively to credible information.
