Nigeria's Defence Minister Lt. Gen. Christopher Musa (rtd) has issued a warning to his countrymen, particularly clerics and public personalities, against legitimising or excusing banditry under the guise of brotherhood.

Speaking in Maiduguri on Wednesday, Musa declared: “A friend of a thief is a thief,” stressing that anyone who supports or shields terrorists and bandits in any form shares responsibility for their crimes.

The statement was widely interpreted as a direct response to earlier remarks by Sheikh Ahmed Gumi, who had described bandits hiding in the bush as “our brothers” and argued that society cannot do without them.

Musa rejected such rhetoric, saying it blurs the line between compassion and complicity. “Labeling bandits as brothers does not reduce violence; it legitimises it and undermines national security efforts,” he said.

The Defence Minister emphasised that terrorism thrives not only on weapons but also on moral cover. Dangerous narratives, he warned, embolden criminal networks that have displaced families, devastated communities, and claimed countless innocent lives.

“In matters of national security, neutrality is not an option. Nigeria cannot defeat banditry and terrorism while rhetoric blurs the line between victims and perpetrators. The choice is clear: stand with the law and the nation, or be counted among those enabling crime,” Musa stated.