Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has urged the Federal Government to ensure that Nigeria’s war against terrorism and banditry remains free from foreign interference. He specifically cautioned against allowing US President Donald Trump to frame the fight along religious lines.
Speaking on Saturday in his Ilawe-Ekiti hometown, Falana emphasized that the Nigerian armed forces, if adequately funded and properly motivated, are fully capable of combating terrorism and banditry without external involvement. He noted that terrorists currently appear better equipped than the country’s military due to the misappropriation of funds meant for arms procurement.
Falana criticized past corruption, highlighting that billions of naira earmarked for military hardware were allegedly stolen by a combination of military officers and civilian collaborators. He cited instances where accused officials were freed by courts under technicalities, leaving soldiers ill-equipped for counter-insurgency operations.
“The government must urgently put mechanisms in place to recover stolen funds and ensure that military procurement budgets are used for their intended purpose,” Falana said.
He also addressed the recent US airstrike in Sokoto, which targeted suspected terrorist bases following claims of Christian persecution. Falana stressed that criminal groups operating in Nigeria do not discriminate based on religion, and warned that foreign intervention risks promoting religious division.
“To secure Nigeria is the constitutional duty of the government, not any foreign power. The war against terror must be conducted without dividing our people along religious or ethnic lines,” he said.
Falana further highlighted the role of social factors, urging the government to tackle unemployment and other social insecurities that could drive youth into criminality. He warned that equipping and motivating security forces must go hand-in-hand with addressing socio-economic challenges to ensure sustainable security.
The remarks come amid a rise in banditry, killings, and kidnappings across Nigeria, including the controversial Christmas Day airstrike in Sokoto, which was reportedly carried out with intelligence shared by the Federal Government.
