‘Treat Military Officers Sympathising with Boko Haram as Terrorists,’ UNILAG Professor Tells FG

A professor of International Relations and Strategic Studies at the University of Lagos, David Aworawo, has urged the Federal Government to classify and prosecute any military personnel found collaborating or sympathising with Boko Haram as terrorists.

Speaking during an interview on Arise Television on Friday, Prof. Aworawo described internal sabotage within the Nigerian military as one of the biggest obstacles to ending the nation’s long-running insurgency.

He expressed concern that some gallant officers had lost their lives due to betrayal by colleagues allegedly working with insurgents.

“This is the biggest of all the problems — by far the most important issue to resolve. When you have an enemy within, it becomes a huge problem,” he said.

Aworawo recalled that after the Chibok girls’ abduction, international partners, including the United States, offered support to Nigeria’s rescue mission. However, he said such efforts were undermined by insider leaks within the security system.

“You will recall that in the aftermath of the kidnap of the Chibok girls, there were efforts from the United States to help Nigeria rescue them,” he said.
“Sadly, some of our brave soldiers died because of the complicity of colleagues working with the terrorists.”

The professor warned that officers found selling weapons or sharing intelligence with insurgents pose as great a threat as coup plotters, insisting that they should face the same punishment to deter others.

“Those involved in selling military hardware to terrorists should be treated as coup plotters and should suffer the same fate,” Aworawo declared.

He called for a more stringent internal vetting process within the armed forces and a renewed commitment to discipline and national security, saying no war can be won when “the enemy lives within.”