iDeemlawfulThe Defence Minister, Lt. Gen. Christopher Musa (rtd), has cautioned Sheikh Ahmed Gumi and other individuals across the country against associating bandits with northern brotherhood.
Speaking on Wednesday in Maiduguri through an official statement, General Musa declared: “A friend of a thief is a thief,” urging Nigerians to desist from backing terrorists and bandits in any manner.
He explained that the warning was deliberate and meaningful, noting that it directly addressed earlier narratives attributed to Sheikh Gumi, who referred to bandits hiding in the bush as “our brothers” and suggested that society could not function without them.
General Musa’s remarks clearly distinguish empathy from endorsement.
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While compassion may have a role, defending or normalising terrorism only empowers criminal groups that have ravaged communities, displaced families, and taken innocent lives.
Referring to bandits as “brothers” does nothing to curb violence; instead, it validates their actions and weakens national security efforts.
The Defence Minister’s message serves as a reminder that terrorism survives not just through arms, but through moral justification.
Those who excuse, defend, or protect criminals through speech, influence, or silence bear responsibility for the outcomes. In national security matters, neutrality does not exist.
Nigeria cannot overcome banditry and terrorism when harmful rhetoric confuses the distinction between victims and offenders.
The decision is unmistakable: support the law and the nation, or be regarded as aiding criminality.