'Friend of a thief is a thief' - Defence minister warns clerics and traditional rulers against supporting terrorists

Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, Christopher Gwabin Musa, has issued a strong warning to individuals he described as sympathisers of terrorists, saying anyone who supports or encourages them will share responsibility for the consequences of their actions.

Musa made the remarks while speaking about the ongoing fight against insurgency and banditry across the country, stressing that no Nigerian should justify or support terrorists in any form.

According to him, people who engage with criminal groups for financial gain or attempt to defend their activities are indirectly contributing to the violence that has claimed thousands of lives in recent years.

“Nobody should support terrorists in whatever form. Those guys don’t mean well,” Musa said.

“If you think you’re trading with them and you’re getting money, it’s blood money and you’re going to account for that.”

The defence chief also criticised certain traditional and religious leaders whom he said sometimes make statements that appear to encourage or excuse the actions of armed groups responsible for killings, kidnappings and attacks across several states.

While he did not mention names directly in the speech, his warning has been widely interpreted as directed at controversial Islamic cleric Ahmad Gumi and others who have previously advocated dialogue or negotiations with bandit groups.

Musa warned that public statements that appear to justify or soften the image of violent groups could embolden them to continue their attacks.

“We have some of our traditional rulers and religious leaders that tend to make comments that seem to be encouraging these people to continue to kill people,” he said.

“They should understand the friend of a thief is a thief.”

The defence chief added that anyone whose comments indirectly lead to the loss of innocent lives would share in the moral burden of those deaths.

“Anybody that’s killed because of your comment, you’ll share in the burden,” he said.

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Security authorities have repeatedly warned that providing financial, logistical or moral support to armed groups undermines military operations and prolongs the crisis.

Musa’s latest warning underscores the military’s stance that the fight against terrorism requires not only security operations but also responsible public messaging from influential leaders across the country.