Musa: Military’s New Strategy Choking Financial Help, Others for Asymmetric War

The Nigerian Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa, has announced that a key aspect of the military's new strategy is aimed at cutting off the financial and logistical support required for asymmetric warfare in the country. According to Musa, the era of brazen terrorist assaults on communities and military units is now a thing of the past, as the Nigerian Armed Forces, in conjunction with intelligence partners, have dismantled the operational effectiveness of significant terrorist networks, including Boko Haram and ISWAP.

In a statement by his media aide, Leah Katung-Babatunde, the minister cautioned citizens against providing intelligence to terrorist groups by reporting troop movements or supporting them financially. He emphasized that such actions prolong the insurgency and its damaging effects. The military underscored that direct combat operations within insurgent strongholds have effectively diminished the enemy's ability to carry out large-scale and brazen attacks on civilian populations.

The minister clarified that the shift in the nature of the conflict from a structured insurgency to a more disorganized criminal activity is driven by the desperate need of these networks to generate revenue.

Musa also noted a correlation between recent security incidents and the political calendar, speculating that the upsurge in violence might be exploited by political players to undermine the government's performance ahead of the upcoming elections scheduled for January. Despite these concerns, General Musa assured the public that security agencies are actively combating these incidents and that the political processes will proceed without hindrance.

He highlighted the military's collaboration with the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) in tracing and disrupting illicit funding channels, including the use of proxy accounts, crowdfunding platforms, and cryptocurrencies.

In response to doubts about the persistence of terrorist cells, Musa reassured the public that the military is addressing the ideological motivations behind asymmetric warfare, which have deep roots in radicalization.