Christopher Musa, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), has raised alarm over the worsening wave of insecurity, warning that political desperation, foreign terror funding, and instability in the Sahel region are combining to fuel violence across the country.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday night, Musa linked the sudden spike in killings to the build-up to the 2027 general elections, alleging that some political actors were deliberately stoking chaos to discredit the government’s security record.
“Last year, we recorded the lowest number of deaths. How come this year, suddenly, everything has spiked? Politics is coming, the election is coming.“You cannot rule out the fact that some people are controlling these criminals to ensure there is no peace, and governance is discredited,” he said.
“But the funny thing is, how do you kill the people you want to govern? What do you gain from it?” he asked
The Defence Chief’s remarks followed a series of violent attacks across the country, on Monday, at least 34 worshippers were massacred inside a mosque in Malumfashi Local Government Area of Katsina State.
The North-East has witnessed renewed terror strikes, banditry continues to ravage the North-West, while Benue and Plateau remain flashpoints of recurring bloodshed.
Musa said the trend reflects both political manipulation and the steady flow of funds that continue to sustain terror networks.
The CDS revealed that terrorism in Nigeria is being bankrolled by a mix of foreign financiers and local collaborators who channel money into militant accounts.
“Some of them have funds coming from outside; we cannot do anything from within. The local ones normally employ a few individuals and provide motorcycles for them, and those ones remit funds daily into some accounts, so it’s being tracked,” he explained.
He commended the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) for its role in uncovering financial trails, stressing that arrests and prosecutions were already ongoing.
He cited the case of suspects behind the Owo church bombing, who are now facing trial.
Musa noted that the Attorney-General of the Federation, Nuhu Ribadu, National Security Adviser and other agencies such as the Department of State Services (DSS), the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), and the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) are actively tracing financial and political backers of insecurity.
Despite the progress, Musa lamented that legal hurdles and international complexities had slowed down the process of naming and prosecuting financiers.
“Sometimes you take evidence to court, and it is knocked out for one reason or another. We need to review our legal system.
“Prosecutions are slow and inadequate, and punishments not stringent enough. That is why I am advocating for special courts to handle terrorism cases,” he said.
The CDS warned that unless Nigeria strengthens its justice system, terrorists and their sponsors would continue to exploit delays in prosecution, fuelling impunity and prolonging insecurity.Musa also drew attention to the grave risks posed by instability in the Sahel, where arms markets have flourished since the collapse of Libya.
He warned that Nigeria’s 4,000-kilometre porous border had left the country vulnerable to infiltration by foreign fighters.
“Since Libya fell, the Sahel has been open. You can buy any weapon in those markets. Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso are unstable.
“Everybody is interested in Nigeria because it is rich and large. Our problem is Nigerians open their doors too easily. Boko Haram started like that—welcoming strangers who later became monsters,” he cautioned.
He said Nigeria is working with counterparts under the Alliance of Sahel States to contain cross-border terrorism but stressed that local communities must stop shielding insurgents with funds, shelter, or logistics.
“These terrorists thrive because some people still support them. If we don’t give them space, they won’t thrive. To defeat them, everybody must be on board,” Musa said.
The Defence Chief further lamented the impact of inadequate technology in the war against terrorism.
He noted that advanced equipment such as drones and real-time satellites, which are critical for precision strikes, remain largely out of reach due to prohibitive costs and global shortages worsened by the Russia-Ukraine war.
“A medium-range precision weapon costs about $100,000. How many can you buy? Just two weeks ago, we neutralised over 100 terrorists on 50 motorcycles using drones, that’s what technology can do. But we need real-time satellites, and these are extremely expensive,” he said.
He commended President Bola Tinubu for signing the Defence Industrial Bill, which will allow Nigeria to produce military hardware locally.
“Sometimes, even when you have the money, you cannot get the equipment because global demand is high.
“That is why the President approved the Defence Industrial Bill, so that we can invite manufacturers and produce locally. If we don’t, it will remain extremely difficult,” Musa explained.
Musa reiterated that the fight against terrorism cannot be won by the military alone, stressing that national unity and political will are essential.
“Criminals, both bandits and terrorists, work together because they have a common goal to make money and destabilise communities.
“But Nigerians must also unite with the Armed Forces. We must not give terrorists the space to thrive,” he said.
Discover more from Ameh News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.