Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, has called on the United Nations to investigate the source of funding sustaining Boko Haram and other terror groups operating in the country for nearly two decades.
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In an interview with Al Jazeera, which SaharaReporters monitored, General Musa disclosed that many of the 120,000 Boko Haram members who have surrendered to Nigerian forces were found in possession of hard currencies.
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This raises critical questions about the financial channels and international support enabling the group to procure equipment and sustain operations over the years.
“We have talked to international communities; let’s find out the funding. When they started surrendering, as we speak, we have over 120,000 that have surrendered. Most of them, when you find them, they are coming with hard currency. How did they get them? How are they funded? How did they get the training? How did they get the equipment?” General Musa said.
He suggested that an “international conspiracy” could be at play, stating, “The UN needs to come in because we need to trace the funding, how are they sustaining themselves for fifteen years? It is international flow, and we (Nigeria) don’t have control over that.”
The CDS emphasized the importance of international collaboration in tracing and cutting off these financial sources to undermine the insurgents’ capacity to operate.
This statement comes amidst General Musa’s commitment to intensifying the fight against insurgency in 2025, following a challenging year in 2024.
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During his recent visits to frontline units under OPERATION SAFE HAVEN in Kaduna and Plateau states, Musa expressed optimism for a renewed and more vigorous approach to tackling insecurity in the country.
This appeal for UN intervention highlights the broader complexities of combating terrorism, including the crucial need to address its financial underpinnings.