Former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor (retd.), has cautioned that some political actors in the country are exploiting—and in some cases worsening—Nigeria’s insecurity for political advantage.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television on Monday, December 1, Irabor stressed that the nation’s security crisis is too complex to be attributed to one cause, warning against oversimplified narratives.
His remarks come barely a day after a presidential aide disclosed that the Federal Government is preparing to reveal the identities of individuals allegedly financing terrorism.
Irabor explained that Nigeria is currently grappling with overlapping security threats driven by ideological, criminal, political, and economic motives. He noted that violent groups—ranging from terrorists and bandits to those seeking to displace communities—operate with different objectives.
According to him, “lumping everything together” would lead to flawed analysis, as the actors behind the violence are diverse in intentions and methods.
While dismissing the idea that insecurity is solely political, the former defence chief admitted that political motives remain a significant and troubling component of the wider crisis.
