State governors and lawmakers have been warned that some of their palliative programmes could be inadvertently helping bandits and terrorists move around and carry out attacks.
The warning came from the Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (retd.), who specifically urged governors and lawmakers to stop distributing motorcycles as palliatives.
Musa said terrorists were getting hold of some of the motorcycles distributed to Nigerians and using them to strengthen their operations.
The minister spoke on Thursday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he discussed the security challenges confronting the country and efforts to tackle terrorism.
According to him, the motorcycles become particularly useful to terrorists because they enable them to move quickly into communities, launch attacks and escape before security forces can respond.
He therefore advised governors who still want to distribute motorcycles as part of empowerment schemes to consider less powerful models that would be less useful to terrorists.
Musa also extended the warning to federal and state lawmakers, saying motorcycles distributed through constituency projects and other intervention programmes could equally find their way into the hands of bandits.
The development raises concerns over how some government empowerment initiatives could be exploited by criminal groups operating in vulnerable communities.
The minister further disclosed that security agencies had identified illegal markets and makeshift motor parks as important channels used by terrorists to move weapons, ammunition and other illicit materials into their areas of operation.
He called for tighter surveillance of such locations, arguing that better monitoring of markets and motor parks would make it harder for criminal groups to move freely.
Musa also blamed the weak performance of local governments for worsening insecurity, stressing that local authorities are closer to the people and should therefore play a bigger role in identifying criminals and preventing attacks.
He urged local government chairmen to hold regular security meetings, monitor developments within their communities and promptly share intelligence with security agencies.
According to him, fighting crime effectively requires stronger cooperation between federal, state and local authorities, particularly in communities where criminals operate.
The minister maintained that markets, motor parks and other potential routes for the movement of drugs, arms and ammunition must be properly monitored if the country is to significantly weaken the terrorists and bandits operating across the country.
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