The Minister of Defence, Lt. Gen. Christopher Musa (rtd), has issued a firm warning to Sheikh Ahmed Gumi and others accused of sympathising with terrorists and bandits, insisting that such support threatens Nigeria’s national security.
Speaking during an official visit to Maiduguri, Musa cautioned against framing terrorism and banditry as ethnic, religious or regional issues. He stressed that criminal acts must never be excused under any guise.
Declaring that “a friend of a thief is a thief,” the Defence Minister said narratives that justify or soften the image of bandits only strengthen criminal networks. He noted that terrorism survives not only through weapons, but also through moral and rhetorical backing.
Musa warned that anyone who defends, excuses or shields criminals, either openly or quietly, must be held accountable. He concluded that Nigeria cannot defeat insecurity while sympathy blurs the line between victims and perpetrators.
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