The Minister of Defence, Lt. Gen. Christopher Musa (rtd), has issued a strong warning to Sheikh Ahmed Gumi and other Nigerians against portraying bandits as part of any form of northern brotherhood, insisting that such narratives amount to aiding terrorism.
In a statement issued on Wednesday in Maiduguri, General Musa declared, “A friend of a thief is a thief,” cautioning Nigerians against supporting terrorists and bandits in any form or guise.
He stressed that the warning was neither accidental nor symbolic, explaining that it was a direct response to narratives previously promoted by Sheikh Gumi, who had described bandits hiding in the bush as “our brothers” and argued that society could not do without them.
According to the Defence Minister, there must be a clear distinction between compassion and complicity, noting that while empathy has its place, justifying or normalising terrorism only emboldens criminal networks that have devastated communities, displaced families, and claimed innocent lives.
He warned that labeling bandits as “brothers” does not reduce violence but instead legitimises criminality and undermines national security efforts.
Musa further reminded Nigerians that terrorism thrives not only through weapons but also through moral cover, stressing that anyone who excuses, defends, or shields criminals through words, influence, or silence shares responsibility for the consequences. He added that in matters of national security, neutrality is not an option.
The Defence Minister maintained that Nigeria cannot defeat banditry and terrorism while dangerous rhetoric continues to blur the line between victims and perpetrators, insisting that the choice before Nigerians is clear: stand with the law and the nation, or be counted among those enabling crime.
