The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (retd.), has explained why the Armed Forces face significant challenges in combating banditry and terrorism across the country, attributing the difficulty largely to the level of support insurgents receive from local communities.
Speaking on Thursday during Arise Television’s Town Hall on State Police, Musa said many terrorists operate from within communities, making military operations more complicated.
He noted that the success of security operations depends greatly on whether communities support the government and the military or align with criminal elements.
According to the minister, stronger collaboration between the armed forces, government, and local communities is essential to defeating insecurity and restoring peace.
“We’re in a democratic setting, and it’s about perception, and it is between the leaders and the led. Now, the led, are they feeling being led properly? Why are they not supporting the armed forces, or why are they not supporting the government?” he queried.
“So, these are areas that we need to look at. When we work together between the armed forces and the communities and the government, then we’ll have a headway, and that’s why it is critical for us to keep on explaining and interacting with the communities, for them to have a better understanding that they have a role to play just as the government has a role to play,” Musa added.
