Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has cautioned the Federal Government of Nigeria against allowing foreign powers to frame the country’s security challenges as a religious conflict, while insisting that Nigeria’s armed forces possess the capacity to defeat terrorism and banditry if properly equipped and motivated.
Falana made this assertion while addressing journalists in Ilawe Ekiti, a town in Ekiti State, located in southwestern Nigeria, on Saturday, January 3, 2026. He stressed that Nigeria does not require foreign military intervention to tackle insecurity, but rather a committed effort to adequately fund and support its own security institutions.
Okay News reports that the senior advocate expressed deep concern that terrorist groups operating in Nigeria appear, in publicly circulated videos, to be better armed than members of the Nigerian armed forces. According to him, this imbalance reflects years of neglect and corruption within critical security agencies.
Falana said, “If the members of the armed forces are well equipped and motivated, they can deal with terrorism and banditry. But as a result of the neglect of vital security institutions over the years, the ragtag armies of criminal elements are winning the war on terror. It is a shame.”
He lamented that funds earmarked for the procurement of arms and ammunition were allegedly stolen by influential individuals, leaving soldiers exposed and under-resourced in active combat zones. He urged the Federal Government to establish a transparent recovery mechanism to retrieve stolen defence funds and channel them back to their original purpose.
Questioning the integrity of the justice system, Falana stated, “How do you fight terrorism in an environment where the money budgeted for the procurement of arms and ammunition is stolen by well-known criminal elements in society?”
Drawing from his legal experience, he added, “From time to time, I defend military officers and soldiers who are charged with war crimes and other offences under the Armed Forces Act. I know that they are prepared to prosecute the counter-insurgency operation, but they lack vital equipment.”
He further alleged that large-scale corruption within the military procurement process has been shielded by legal technicalities. “The money earmarked for the procurement of arms and ammunition was stolen by a coterie of military officers and their civilian collaborators. The courts are not helping, as they hide under dubious technicalities to free indicted criminals who stole billions of naira in procurement funds,” he said.
Citing specific cases, Falana noted, “For instance, a service chief was charged with stealing ₦22.8bn. The Federal High Court freed him on the ground that he was not charged before a court martial. Meanwhile, he was charged with money laundering, which can only be tried exclusively by the Federal High Court.”
He also referenced a former state governor accused of diverting ₦6.9bn from the Office of Nigeria’s former National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki, stating that the accused was discharged without presenting a defence.
According to Falana, “A few other military officers and civilians who stole about ₦200bn have been asked to go home and enjoy the stolen funds earmarked for the purchase of military hardware. Meanwhile, our soldiers are ill-equipped because of the criminal diversion of huge funds.”
He insisted that Nigeria’s security is a constitutional responsibility of the Federal Government, adding, “If you equip your armed forces and motivate the members, Nigeria can fight terrorism and banditry without the intervention of any country. To secure Nigeria is not the business of any foreign nation; it is the duty of the government under the constitution.”
Reacting to a reported United States airstrike on a terrorist location in Sokoto State, northwestern Nigeria, Falana warned against religious interpretation of the conflict. He said, “Let the Nigerian government be warned not to allow United States President Donald Trump to promote religious war in Nigeria. Trump is saying his intervention is to protect Christians.”
He countered that criminal groups do not operate along religious lines, stating, “The criminals that are killing Nigerians do not care about religion; those who are collecting ransom after kidnapping Nigerians do not worry about religion.”
Falana further argued that military solutions alone cannot end insecurity, emphasizing the link between unemployment and crime. “You cannot end insecurity in a country without addressing social insecurity. If young people are unemployed and unemployment is on the increase, some of them are likely to be driven to criminality,” he said.
Nigeria has witnessed a surge in kidnappings, killings, and bandit attacks since late 2025, sparking widespread concern across the country. The reported United States airstrike, allegedly carried out on Christmas Day after intelligence support from Nigeria, has continued to generate mixed reactions nationwide.
