Dalena Reporters – Senior Nigerian military officers and state officials have once again raised concerns over the shadowy network of sponsors fueling Boko Haram insurgency and banditry across the country. In a series of recent remarks, generals, governors, and defence authorities admitted that while progress is being made on the battlefield, the fight against terrorism remains incomplete without unmasking the financiers and collaborators who sustain the violence.
Major General Ali-Keffi, a former commander of the Army’s 1 Mechanised Division, earlier alleged that findings from a board of inquiry under his watch exposed links between Boko Haram sponsors and powerful figures, including senior government officials, a top banker, and even military officers. According to him, the report, which was submitted to the presidency, was ignored because of the high-profile individuals implicated. He claimed the revelations were swept under the carpet, and shortly after, he was forced into retirement.
The Nigerian Army, however, maintains that while it is aware of terrorism financiers, exposing them publicly is outside its mandate. Military spokespersons insist that intelligence agencies such as the DSS and National Intelligence Agency are responsible for tracking and prosecuting sponsors, while the armed forces remain focused on combat operations.
Adding to the debate, Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum recently alleged that Boko Haram informants and collaborators can be found among politicians, security forces, and local communities. He stressed that the insurgency could be defeated within months if saboteurs were rooted out and political interference eliminated.
Civil society organisations have also pushed back strongly against claims by some retired officers that NGOs in the North are indirectly aiding terrorists. The groups described such allegations as baseless, urging the government to confront corruption, porous borders, and illicit financial flows instead of targeting humanitarian agencies.
Defence Headquarters confirmed that probes are ongoing into Nigerians suspected of financing bandits, with the federal government disclosing that over 100 terrorism financiers have been convicted in recent years. Meanwhile, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu recently boasted that more than 300 Boko Haram and bandit commanders have been neutralised in the past year, while the Nigerian Air Force pledged to dismantle remaining networks.
Despite these assurances, the identity of many of the alleged sponsors remains shrouded in secrecy, fueling public suspicion that powerful interests within politics, security, and business are still protecting those who profit from bloodshed. With generals raising alarms and governors sounding warnings, the question of who truly bankrolls insurgency in Nigeria continues to hang unanswered, leaving citizens to demand greater transparency and accountability in the war against terror.
— Dalena Reporters