Retired US soldier, Captain Bishop Johnson, has identified weak policing at Nigeria’s borders as a challenge exploited by terrorists to fuel insecurity at mineral sites in the country.
Johnson said this on Wednesday during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief.
“So we have porous borders and we also have mineral resources that all of them are all after, including some foreigners who are providing them with technical expertise to mine all these mineral resources.
“All of them have come together with the host communities to move with them to create this upheaval of insecurity around these mineral sites,” Johnson said on the breakfast show.
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According to him, there is always going to be insecurity in areas where illicit mining and other unlawful activities related to mineral resources are rampant.
On claims that the government knows who the bandits are, the veteran stated that it was not news that the government knows the identities of the bandits, adding that there had been complicity in handling the situation.
He also urged the Federal Government to invite those with useful data to extract valuable information that would complement measures taken against bandits.
Insecurity continues to pose a serious challenge in Nigeria, particularly in the northern region, where insurgency, banditry, and violent attacks by terrorists have persisted for more than a decade.
Different groups, including Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), and recently, Lakurawa, in the North, operate across several northern states, including Borno, Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, and Niger, where they frequently target communities, security personnel, and infrastructure.
Numerous attacks have been recorded in the region over the years, resulting in loss of lives, displacement of residents, and destruction of property.
In response to the growing security threats, the Nigerian military has intensified counter-terrorism operations aimed at weakening insurgent and bandit networks.
One of the key operations is Operation Hadin Kai, under which troops carry out coordinated offensives in several locations known as insurgent hideouts.
In addition, security forces have conducted airstrikes and ground operations against bandit camps in Zamfara and other northwestern states.
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