Defence Minister warns criminals exploit vehicles to move arms and drugs across Nigeria.
Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (rtd), has raised fresh concerns over the worsening state of insecurity across the country, disclosing that intelligence reports indicate that many vehicles plying Nigerian roads are being used to transport weapons, illicit drugs and other materials linked to criminal activities.
The Defence Minister made this revelation on Sunday while speaking during a Channels Television programme focused on the Federal Government’s security strategy. According to him, the use of commercial and private vehicles by criminal networks has become a major enabler of banditry, kidnapping, terrorism and drug trafficking across different parts of the country.
General Musa explained that the scale and spread of insecurity in Nigeria can no longer be effectively addressed by the Federal Government alone, stressing that crime is largely local in nature and requires strong community-based and grassroots responses. He noted that intelligence assessments have shown that criminal elements exploit weak local governance structures and poor coordination at the grassroots to move arms and drugs freely across state boundaries.
The Defence Minister emphasised that this reality informed the Federal Government’s push for state governments to strengthen and empower local governments to function effectively. He said functional local councils are critical to intelligence gathering, early warning systems and community policing, which are essential in disrupting criminal logistics and movements.
Musa further stated that without active involvement of local authorities and traditional institutions, security agencies would continue to face challenges in tracking criminal activities at the community level. He added that improved collaboration between federal, state and local governments remains key to restoring security and safeguarding lives and property across Nigeria.
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