"NGOs Denounce Ex-Nigerian Air Force General's Terrorism Claims"




  By Abdullahi Alhassan Kaduna 


A coalition of over 73 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) has vehemently denied allegations made by a former Air Officer Commanding (AOC) of the Nigerian Air Force, accusing them of providing covert sponsorship and funding to terrorists. The allegations, published in the Vanguard Newspapers on January 16, 2025, claimed that NGOs in the North-East, North-West, and North-Central regions of Nigeria were aiding terrorists.

In a strongly-worded press statement, the coalition condemned the allegations, describing them as "baseless, inflammatory, and defamatory." The statement read in part: "We strongly condemn this act of stigmatizing, smearing, defaming, and targeting the NGO sector, which is inconsistent with meaningfully attending to the genuine threats of terrorism in our country."

The coalition argued that the allegations were an attempt to shift blame away from the Nigerian government and military's failure to address the root causes of terrorism. They emphasized that the real reasons terrorism persists in Nigeria include "rampant poverty and inequality, porous borders, corruption, and inefficiency in defense spending."

The NGOs called on the Nigerian government and military leadership to focus on disrupting terrorist funding and logistics networks, rather than scapegoating civil society. They also urged the government to engage constructively with NGOs to address the root causes of insecurity and alleviate the suffering of affected communities.

The coalition warned that such baseless accusations could lead to attacks on humanitarian actors, further deepening the crisis. They emphasized that civil society plays a critical role in generating peace and development, and that their work should be supported, not undermined.

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