Terrorists may have one or two agents in the army, another – the President

The Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communications, Daniel Bwala, stated that it is possible that terrorists operating in Nigeria have agents in the Nigerian Army and other security agencies in the country.

Bwala, who spoke on The Link Up Podcast, a panel discussion hosted by EchoRoom, acknowledged that cases of infiltration or collaboration by individuals within the security services cannot be completely ruled out.

Responding to allegations that terrorist groups may have infiltrated Nigeria’s security agencies, Bwala dismissed claims that members of the military were deliberately protecting terrorists during attacks, and described such allegations as speculative.

“I don’t think so. The thing is, it’s just a guess, unless there is a case that is still alive,” he said.

“You can’t rule out the fact that they probably have one or two agents in the military, somewhere… Our police are arrested all the time, and the soldiers who are arrested are involved in this kind of thing,” he said, referring to previous arrests involving security personnel, including a senior police officer who was allegedly arrested with Chinese nationals.

Bwala argued that such incidents were not unique to Nigeria, and cited former United States intelligence contractor Edward Snowden as an example of how infiltration can occur even in developed countries.

“This would happen anywhere in the world. Snowden is a US national security contractor.

“These are elements that can happen, and why I don’t want to talk too much about this is because there are actions that we are taking that we don’t want people to know about,” he added.

Bwala also hinted that the country’s ongoing security crisis may be influenced by external forces.

The presidential aide cited international claims and developments that he said showed that foreign interests could play a role in the country’s terrorism challenge.

Bwala recalled demonstrations that took place in several regions in northern Nigeria, where protesters reportedly waved Russian flags, and described the developments as one indicator that Nigeria’s security challenges may have dimensions that go beyond its borders.

“If you remember, there was a decision made by the Federal Government of Nigeria at that time, and we immediately saw these people in Nigeria waving the Russian flag,” he said.

Some protesters in northern Nigerian states, particularly Kano, Kaduna, Zamfara and Katsina, have waved Russian flags during the #EndBadGovernance protests in August 2024.

Some protesters also shouted slogans calling on Russian President Vladimir Putin to intervene and even called for a military takeover of the government.

The presidential aide also referred to allegations made by United States Congressman Scott Perry during a congressional hearing, in which the lawmaker claimed that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is funding two deadly insurgent groups, Boko Haram and the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP).

Although he stressed that he did not confirm or support the allegations, Bwala said that the allegations showed that discussions about possible external influences on terrorism in Nigeria had been taking place at the international level.

“I won’t say that, but I will tell you what I saw,” Bwala said.

“When they held the hearing in congress, I don’t know whether it was true or not, because he is not Nigerian, but I am just giving you the facts, to tell you that such conversations are already taking place.

“So, I’m not saying he’s right or wrong. But what I’m saying is events like this have happened, and as a country we can’t hear that and say you’re a liar.”

Bwala also claimed that rivalry between the Nigerian Army and Nigerian Air Force during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari undermined counterterrorism operations, with the force allegedly not providing critical air support to some military missions.

According to him, disagreements between the then Chief of Air Staff and the leadership of the Nigerian Army disrupted operational coordination, resulting in a situation where requests for air cover were not met.

“I remember during the Buhari era there was a dispute reportedly between the Chiefs of the Air Staff and the Army, so that every time an operation was carried out, when they asked for air cover, there was no support. In this government, that is not the case. There is coordination or cooperation,” said Bwala.