Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, has highlighted the multifaceted challenges facing the military in combating terrorism and banditry, including the use of gold to finance terror operations, complex international funding networks, and difficult terrain that slows troop deployment.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, General Musa explained that terror groups increasingly rely on gold and other financial channels, both domestic and international, to fund operations. “Gold. They try to circulate this money, and that is why it is important for us to be able to track these things,” Musa said.
He revealed that locally, terror financiers employ individuals who remit daily payments into designated accounts. “The local ones… provide motorcycles to them, something to do, and those are remitting funds daily into some account,” he added. The CDS noted that legal complexities and cross-border funding make prosecuting financiers particularly challenging.
In addition to financial networks, logistical obstacles have hampered rapid military response in affected regions. “A lot of people think the military are magicians; we are not, we are humans just like anybody. Most times, in these areas where attacks occur, there are either no networks or the roads are very bad,” Musa explained. He added that in the North-East, threats such as improvised explosive devices (IEDs) further slow troop movement, sometimes requiring soldiers to walk ahead with scanners over short distances to avoid casualties.
Despite these challenges, General Musa highlighted improvements in the Southeast geopolitical zone following the arrest of pro-Biafran agitator Simon Ekpa in Finland in November 2024. “He is still undergoing prosecution in Finland. But since he has been arrested, the Southeast is getting better,” he said, noting ongoing operations targeting Ekpa’s lieutenants across Imo, Enugu, Anambra, Ebonyi, and Abia states.
The CDS also pointed to the successful arrest of Ansaru terrorist commanders, which he described as a “good win for all of us,” achieved through coordinated efforts of the Nigerian Air Force, Army, and Navy. “What has changed is that we have synergy with all the organisations… and that is why we have seen all the successes,” he said.
Looking ahead, the Defence Headquarters plans to host an African Chiefs of Defence Staff conference to enhance regional coordination and share intelligence in the fight against terrorism and banditry across the continent.
General Musa stressed that while progress has been made, national security remains a complex challenge requiring legal reforms, improved infrastructure, and sustained monitoring of terror financing networks. “You have to balance responding quickly with staying alive to do your work,” he said, summarising the delicate operations of the Nigerian military in high-risk areas.
