The federal government has been cautioned against relying on foreign countries to prosecute the ongoing war against terrorism and banditry in Nigeria.
Human rights lawyer, Mr Femi Falana (SAN), said the Nigerian armed forces possess the capacity to defeat criminal elements if they are adequately funded, properly equipped and sufficiently motivated.
Falana also stressed that insecurity cannot be resolved without addressing what he described as social insecurity, particularly the growing rate of unemployment among young people.
The senior advocate made the remarks while speaking with journalists in his hometown of Ilawe Ekiti over the weekend. He noted that rising unemployment creates fertile ground for criminal activities, warning that neglecting social welfare would undermine security efforts.
According to him, while attention is often focused on funding and equipping the armed forces and the police, equal priority must be given to tackling youth unemployment to prevent young people from being drawn into crime.
Falana maintained that Nigeria’s armed forces are capable of overcoming terrorists and bandits without external military intervention. He further advised the federal government to resist any attempt by foreign interests, including comments attributed to United States President Donald Trump, to frame Nigeria’s security challenges along religious lines.
Commenting on a recent air strike in Sokoto and claims that the Nigerian government provided intelligence support for the operation, Falana said national security is solely the responsibility of the Nigerian government as provided for in the constitution.
He argued that criminals terrorising communities do not discriminate based on religion or ethnicity, adding that kidnappers and other violent groups target victims regardless of their faith. He warned that portraying the fight against insecurity as a religious conflict could further divide the country.
Falana reiterated that if the armed forces are equipped in line with Section 217 of the constitution, they can effectively defeat terrorist groups within a short period.
He urged the government to focus on strengthening local security institutions rather than diverting attention to foreign intervention, insisting that Nigeria’s security challenges can and should be resolved internally.
