By Henry Uche
Amnesty International Nigeria, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), Global Rights, Falana and Falana Chambers, Goodluck Jonathan Foundation, Policy Alert, Media Rights Agenda (MRA), Nigeria Network of NGOs, Yiaga Africa, Zero Corruption Coalition (ZCC), and other Civil Society Organisations in Nigeria, including legal luminaries, have condemned what they described as “baseless and unsubstantiated allegations against NGOs.”
In a joint statement signed by the aforementioned civil groups and Accountability Lab Nigeria, Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), and the African Centre for Media & Information Literacy (AFRICMIL), the groups expressed deep concern over what they see as “inflammatory claims” by an unnamed former Air Officer Commanding (AOC) of the Nigerian Air Force. The claims were published in Vanguard Newspaper on 16 January 2025 under the headline: “Why Boko Haram, bandits thrive: How NGOs, others aid terrorists — Former generals, commanders.”
According to the groups, the officer recklessly accused NGOs in the North-East, North-West, and North-Central regions of providing covert sponsorship and funding to terrorists.
“We strongly condemn this act of stigmatising, smearing, defaming, and targeting the NGO sector, which is inconsistent with meaningfully addressing the genuine threats of terrorism in our country. Rather than confronting the systemic failures that have allowed terrorism to thrive in Nigeria, these claims attempt to shift blame onto the very organisations that have stepped into the void to support communities abandoned by the Nigerian state.
“It is a known fact that a civilian-led approach, engaging civil society and communities, is the most effective way to prevent violent extremism, demonstrating the necessity of civil society in channelling discontent and allowing for constructive engagement with states, and indirectly undermining the factors leading individuals to be drawn to terrorism and violent extremism.”
The civil groups recalled that for nearly two decades, NGOs operating in the North-East have played an indispensable role in mitigating the devastating impact of insurgency and banditry by providing life-saving humanitarian assistance, education, healthcare, and psychosocial support to millions of displaced and vulnerable Nigerians.
These activities, they maintained, are carried out without any pecuniary benefit and operate under the supervision of strict regulatory frameworks, including rigorous anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing laws enforced by the Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering (SCUML) and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU).
“In its resolution 72/284, the United Nations General Assembly urged states to ensure that counter-terrorism measures did not impede humanitarian activities or engagement. Humanitarian exemptions are critical in protecting civil society actors operating in challenging environments where terrorist groups are active from sanctions regimes and counter-terrorism measures.
“Acts prohibiting or otherwise impeding humanitarian services violate the obligation of states to respect the right to life. Any death linked to such prohibition would constitute an arbitrary deprivation of life.
“One of the most fundamental norms of international humanitarian law is the need to protect the provision of impartial medical care to all wounded and sick persons, including members of adversarial parties and the population under their control. This norm must be factored into any counter-terrorism strategy. Abiding by these norms is not a sign of weakness; it is an obligation of civilised nations.
“It is unconscionable to malign NGOs that work tirelessly, often at significant personal risk, to bring hope and relief to conflict-affected communities. These accusations, devoid of proof, erode public trust, distract from the real issues, and undermine the critical work being done in some of the country’s most challenging environments.”
The groups said these remarks came as Nigeria marked the 2025 Armed Forces Remembrance Day to honour the sacrifices of Nigeria’s armed forces.
“There can be little doubt that Nigeria needs leadership, unity, and aggressive actions to overcome the challenges of insecurity. NGOs across the country have risen to the crises our nation is enduring.
“They are stretching beyond all reasonable measures and continue to advance their missions despite unfathomable challenges and coordinated attacks on the sector, as evidenced in this Vanguard article. This pattern of baseless accusations is a disservice to Nigerians and undermines the principles of accountability and justice that we all seek to uphold.
“The cost of stifling civil society to prevent any perceived threat of terrorism far outweighs its benefits. Any effective counter-terrorism strategy needs to strengthen, not weaken, civil society. There is growing evidence that the instrumentalisation of counter-terrorism agendas to prevent and counter violent extremism is leading to a lack of trust in state authorities.
“The United Nations Human Rights Committee recognised that the right to life should not be interpreted narrowly, noting that it places not only negative obligations on states (e.g., to not kill) but also positive obligations (e.g., to protect life) to ensure access to the basic conditions necessary to sustain life.”
They charged the Nigerian government and military leadership to address the real reasons terrorism persists, including but not limited to rampant poverty and inequality, porous borders, corruption, and inefficiency in defence spending.
Similarly, the Nigerian security apparatus should focus its efforts and manpower on disrupting terrorist funding and logistics networks rather than scapegoating civil society. It must also enhance intelligence gathering and operational capacity to secure lives and properties.
“The government must engage constructively with NGOs to address the root causes of insecurity and alleviate the suffering of affected communities, understanding that civil society can meaningfully generate peace and development, including the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and can clearly articulate the sources of grievances identified as factors leading to terrorist and extremist violence.”