ABUJA — Nigeria’s Defence Minister has raised the alarm over a disturbing pattern. Local residents are now actively helping terrorist groups carry out attacks across the country.
Minister Mohammed Badaru made the disclosure on Saturday, warning that community members were providing critical intelligence to terror cells. He said this had made security operations far more difficult to execute effectively.
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The Insider Threat
“We have evidence that some people within communities are giving information to these groups,” Badaru told journalists in Abuja. “They tell them when security forces move, when schools are open, and when areas are unguarded.”
The minister described the practice as a betrayal of fellow citizens. He called on community leaders to help identify and report such individuals. Additionally, he urged religious and traditional rulers to use their influence to discourage cooperation with criminal elements.
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Security experts say the insider threat problem is not new. However, the scale has grown sharply following several high-profile kidnappings across Nigeria’s southwest in recent months.
Government Response
The Defence Ministry has since launched community intelligence programs in high-risk states. These efforts aim to build trust between residents and security forces. Furthermore, the ministry is working with state governments to set up anonymous tip lines for residents to report suspicious activity.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu on Nigeria’s Democracy Day vowed that his administration would show no mercy to terror financiers and kidnappers. He revealed that security forces had neutralised over 13,000 terrorists since the start of his administration.
Security analysts say the disclosure is significant. They note that tackling insider support requires a different strategy from conventional counter-terrorism operations.
