Many of the weapons and ammunition found in terrorist organisations in Nigeria were first taken from the Nigerian Armed Forces and Police during ambushes and surprise attacks, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) revealed in a recent briefing.
In his remarks on Thursday, Major General Edward Buba, Director of Defence Media Operations, sought to deny allegations that security forces purposefully provided terrorists with weapons.
Major General Buba addressed claims that the military is involved in the trafficking of firearms, explaining that terrorist organisations have often equipped themselves by attacking and overpowering security forces. He added that the Sahelian instability and the aftermath of Libya’s collapse, which have exacerbated the situation and made cross-border arms smuggling possible, are to blame for the broad availability of weapons.
The recent finding of military-grade weaponry in terrorist caches has alarmed National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, who has denounced any security cooperation in arms trafficking. Buba responded by underscoring the Armed Forces’ continued commitment to eliminating terrorist threats and the military’s implementation of strict and focused countermeasures following each attack.
