Captain Bish Johnson claims Nigerian banditry is fuelled by foreign sponsors, illicit mining, and syndicates involving government officials

Former U.S. Army officer Captain Bish Johnson (retd.) has alleged that banditry in Nigeria receives support from foreign actors, with some sponsors reportedly not Nigerian.

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He made the claims during an interview on national television yesterday.

Johnson said the insecurity in Nigeria is largely driven by syndicated operations involving multiple components and individuals working together for commercial gain.

He added that kidnappings and banditry have become lucrative enterprises profiting from the misfortune of victims.

“I also believe that there are some foreign sponsors of this banditry where they kidnap and abduct people just to divert our attention while they are illicitly mining our mineral resources in connivance with highly placed individuals in Nigeria,” he said, noting that some of these collaborators may be government officials, retired officers, or individuals in top positions.

The former officer explained that the criminal networks are sustained by vulnerabilities along Nigeria’s northern borders with Niger, Chad, and Cameroon.

He said illicit mining and unregulated resource exploitation are key drivers of the commercialised nature of banditry.

Johnson emphasised that allegations of complicity or collusion from within Nigeria should be treated seriously and thoroughly investigated.

“Every information that we get should be investigated. We should not dismiss such accusations merely because they come from a terrorist or under duress,” he said.

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Security analysts say Johnson’s remarks highlight the complex, multi-layered nature of insecurity in Nigeria, where local criminal activity can intersect with cross-border operations and resource exploitation, creating a challenging environment for law enforcement agencies.