Retired Army officer and respected security expert, Colonel Ralph Bello-Fadile, has raised fresh alarm over what he described as the dangerous politicization and monetization of Nigeria’s national security architecture, warning that these practices are sabotaging the military’s fight against terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes that have continued to torment the nation.
Speaking in an exclusive interview, Bello-Fadile lamented that national security has gradually been reduced to a cash-and-carry affair, with powerful individuals turning insecurity into a profit-making venture. According to him, politics, religious groups and vested interests have now hijacked security structures, leaving the military overstretched and unable to deliver effectively. “It is like a business now. Everybody is grabbing what they can grab,” he declared, painting a grim picture of a system that no longer serves the ordinary Nigerian but the pockets of elites.
The retired colonel described the current state of Nigeria’s security coordination as chaotic and fragmented. In his words, “Everybody is going solo on his own.” He faulted the absence of synergy among the various security agencies, insisting that the lack of central coordination has left the nation vulnerable to criminal networks who are increasingly sophisticated in their operations.
Bello-Fadile did not shy away from pointing fingers at corruption and racketeering within the ranks, noting that there are now so-called “multi-billion generals” whose sudden wealth betrays the rot in the system. He alleged that money meant for counter-terrorism and counter-banditry operations was being diverted, with disturbing cases where soldiers on the battlefield are denied allowances and left without food rations because their superiors allegedly pocket operational funds. He referenced recent viral videos from Kaduna and Niger states where soldiers openly cried out about withheld allowances, saying such situations destroy morale and embolden criminals who already exploit every loophole.
Beyond the frontline, Bello-Fadile observed that Abuja’s skyline tells its own story, hinting that many of the new buildings mushrooming across the city could very well be the proceeds of illicit enrichment by security actors who have turned national defense into a channel of personal wealth accumulation. He described this disturbing trend as the clearest indication that insecurity has become an industry in Nigeria.
Using Zamfara State as a case study, the security expert accused both the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of weaponizing insecurity to gain political advantage. He noted that rival politicians exploit the suffering of the people for electoral value, further entrenching the cycle of bloodshed in one of Nigeria’s most troubled states. “The political class is playing a very dangerous game,” he warned, stressing that the use of violence and terror as tools of political rivalry is tearing apart communities and destabilizing democracy.
Bello-Fadile’s alarm comes at a time when Nigeria is grappling with multiple layers of insecurity—ranging from Boko Haram insurgency in the North East, banditry and mass abductions in the North West, farmer-herder conflicts in the Middle Belt, separatist agitations in the South East, and rising urban crimes across the South West and South-South. Despite soaring defense budgets, which rose from ₦1.25 trillion in 2023 to ₦3.25 trillion in 2024 and further to ₦4.91 trillion in 2025, insecurity persists, raising tough questions about accountability and transparency in defense spending.
The colonel’s observations echo long-standing fears that insecurity has become economically lucrative for some actors. Past scandals like the infamous DasukiGate—where billions of naira meant for arms procurement were allegedly diverted—remain a sore reminder of how entrenched corruption has crippled Nigeria’s war against terror. Bello-Fadile’s remarks therefore underscore the urgent need for a total overhaul of the security sector, with firm reforms to dismantle entrenched interests, enforce accountability, and restore confidence in the military.
For ordinary Nigerians who bear the brunt of kidnappings, killings and displacement, his warning rings painfully true. As many communities continue to live in fear, the call for a decisive break from the politicization and monetization of national security may well be the last chance for Nigeria to reclaim its sovereignty from criminals and restore peace to its troubled land.