How faith ties, divided allegiance threaten national security – ex-military officer

Ayo Balogun, a former Nigerian Air Force officer has raised alarm that terrorism in Nigeria is being sustained not only by illicit funding networks but also by deep-rooted religious loyalties within the security forces and political class, a dangerous mix he says is undermining national security and crippling the country’s decade-long fight against insurgency.

Balogun, who spoke with BusinessDay in Abuja, said that while some military commanders have been accused of selling weapons to insurgents, the problem goes beyond corruption and points to divided allegiances within the system.

“Some revelations are coming out that commanders and top officials are actually selling weapons to Boko Haram. But the issue is deeper than just selling arms, religion has become a major factor keeping the insurgency alive”, Balogun said.

The retired officer explained that unlike the Niger Delta militancy or other economic-based conflicts that could be resolved through negotiation and incentives, Boko Haram’s ideology is rooted in religious extremism, a problem, he said, “lies in the heart” and is far more difficult to defeat.

“You can always talk your way out of economic insurgencies if you give people the right incentives. But when an insurgency is religious, it becomes a matter of faith and conviction. No amount of money can make an indoctrinated person drop that belief”, he said.

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He warned that religious and territorial conflicts are the most dangerous forms of crises, often tearing nations apart.

“If you are fighting because of land, it’s serious. If you are fighting because of religion, it’s even more serious. Those are the two types of problems that can destroy a country,” Balogun said.

Commenting on recent reports that some Nigerian Army officers were caught selling weapons meant for frontline operations to insurgents, Balogun said such betrayals thrive partly because some soldiers sympathise with the enemy due to shared religious beliefs.

“A soldier who is a staunch Islamist may see insurgents as his religious brothers. There’s already a conflict of interest,. “They are human beings before they are soldiers. That’s what makes this conflict very complicated.”

He added that this dynamic also extends to politicians and government officials, some of whom, he said, may be reluctant to confront insurgents decisively because of religious affiliations.

Balogun drew parallels with other global and local conflicts, noting that wars driven by economic interests, such as the civil wars in Sierra Leone and the Congo or the Niger Delta militancy, were easier to resolve through negotiations, incentives, or amnesty programmes.

“When the Niger Delta militants were fighting, the government offered training, compensation, and engagement. It worked because it was economic. If the Boko Haram crisis were economic, it would have been solved long ago”, he explained.

He contrasted this with the peaceful resolution of Nigeria’s territorial dispute with Cameroon under former President Olusegun Obasanjo, noting that diplomacy and compromise ended what could have been a prolonged war.

“If Obasanjo hadn’t gone to the World Court over Bakassi and accepted the ruling, we’d still be at war today.

Read also: Over 5,000 Nigerians flee into Cameroon as Boko Haram fighters over run border villages

“That’s the difference between a territorial conflict and a religious one. Religion doesn’t bend easily”, Balogun said.

The former officer also linked the resilience of Boko Haram to foreign support networks.

According to him, intelligence reports and past military briefings have consistently shown that much of the funding and ideological backing for religious extremism in Nigeria comes from outside the country.

“The funders of religious fundamentalism are mostly from the Middle East countries. There is clear evidence of external influence. Even the Chief of Defence Staff once admitted it”, he said.

Balogun said these external forces exploit Nigeria’s porous borders and weak internal controls to fuel instability, adding that religious indoctrination and foreign funding make the insurgency far harder to contain.

He urged the Nigerian military to focus on professionalism and loyalty to the Constitution above personal or religious sentiments, warning that divided allegiances within the ranks could prolong the insurgency indefinitely.

“The only hope is for soldiers to be professional. Once a soldier allows religion to dictate his loyalty, the war is already lost”, he said.

Balogun’s was reacting to the reports that some Nigerian military officers have been caught selling weapons to insurgents and bandits, with recent court-martials confirming the depth of internal sabotage within the armed forces.

According to report, a soldier who recently returned from Maiduguri, Borno State, disclosed that he once buried unexpended rounds of ammunition rather than risk being caught with them.

According to him, soldiers in the North-East theatre of operations face strict accountability for weapons but some still find ways to divert military supplies into the black market.

Another army officer confirmed witnessing the arrest of soldiers caught attempting to sell arms to Boko Haram insurgents in Maiduguri.

The officer, who spoke anonymously, described the situation as “a dangerous breach of trust that endangers fellow troops and undermines national security.”

The disturbing revelations align with earlier concerns raised by Nuhu Ribadu, National Security Adviser (NSA), who in October last year publicly condemned the infiltration of Nigeria’s security system by corrupt officials.

Speaking during the destruction of confiscated arms by the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons in Abuja, Ribadu blamed the circulation of illegal weapons on internal sabotage within security agencies.

Ribadu cursed officers aiding the illicit trade, accusing them of betraying their oath of service.

He said a significant portion of the arms used by terrorists, bandits, and kidnappers across the country were originally government property but found their way into criminal hands through compromised personnel.

“The proliferation of small arms and light weapons remains a major threat to our national security,” Ribadu warned, adding that the menace was worsened by “merchants of death and evil” operating both within and outside Nigeria.

According to Balogun, the recurring cases of arms diversion and internal sabotage continue to raise questions about accountability and oversight within Nigeria’s security architecture, even as the country battles to curb terrorism, banditry, and other violent crimes.