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By Chukwudi Abiandu

Nothing can be more heartbreaking, more infuriating and more dangerous to the survival of a nation than the revelation that those entrusted with the sacred duty of protecting citizens are allegedly collaborating with the same terrorists massacring innocent people across the country.

The latest revelations from the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) have once again exposed a dark and disturbing reality many Nigerians have long suspected but feared to confront openly; that some officers within the Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Police Force may be complicit in the terrorism and bloodshed ravaging Nigeria. This is not merely a scandal. It is a national tragedy.

For years, Nigerians have buried their dead in silence while villages were wiped out, churches and mosques attacked, communities displaced, children orphaned and women widowed. Entire regions, particularly the Middle Belt and the North-West, have become theatres of horror where armed militias and terrorists operate with frightening boldness and devastating efficiency.

Now comes the painful suggestion from an international body that part of the reason these terrorists appear unstoppable could be because some bad elements within the very institutions meant to crush them are allegedly aiding, protecting or collaborating with them. If true, this represents one of the most disgraceful betrayals in Nigeria’s history.

The uniform of the Nigerian military and police is not ordinary clothing. It is a symbol of sacrifice, patriotism and national duty. Every officer swears an oath to defend Nigeria’s territorial integrity and protect lives and property without fear or favour. That oath is sacred. It is meant to place national interest above ethnicity, religion, greed or personal gain.

But what does it say about a nation when security personnel entrusted with weapons and intelligence turn around to aid murderers, kidnappers and terrorists? What does it say about patriotism when officers allegedly collude with armed militias responsible for mass killings, abductions and displacement of innocent Nigerians? It is mindless. It is wicked. It is unforgivable.

The USCIRF report paints a horrifying picture of a country under siege. According to the report, at least 30,000 armed actors now operate across Nigeria in loosely organised groups carrying out deadly attacks from the North-West to the Middle Belt and parts of southern Nigeria. Entire communities have been overrun while more than 1.3 million people have been displaced from their ancestral homes.

The report details chilling atrocities, villages attacked at night by armed men wielding automatic weapons and machetes; worshippers slaughtered during Christian religious holidays; women and children massacred in their sleep; churches and mosques invaded; priests and imams abducted for ransom.

One of the deadliest incidents cited was the massacre in Yelwata, Benue State, where more than 200 Christians, including women and children, were reportedly killed and over 3,000 displaced. Another attack reportedly claimed at least 200 lives in Benue in June 2025, including internally displaced persons sheltering in a Catholic mission. These are not ordinary crimes. These are crimes against humanity.

Yet, while innocent Nigerians are dying, some individuals wearing the nation’s uniform are being accused of collaborating with the enemies of the state. That possibility should outrage every patriotic Nigerian.

Nothing destroys public confidence faster than the belief that security agencies have been compromised. Once citizens begin to suspect that some officers are feeding intelligence to terrorists, sabotaging operations or deliberately looking the other way during attacks, the entire security architecture collapses into distrust. Sadly, many Nigerians already harbour such suspicions.

Too often, communities have raised alarms before attacks only for security agencies to arrive after the carnage. Too often, terrorists move freely through territories supposedly under military watch. Too often, kidnappers negotiate massive ransoms without fear of exposure. Too often, arrests are made without successful prosecutions. Too often, massacres occur without consequences. These recurring failures have fuelled fears that corruption and collusion may exist within the system.

If some officers are truly aiding terrorists, then they are not merely corrupt officials; they are enemies of Nigeria. They are accomplices to murder. They have blood on their hands.

No patriotic nation tolerates such betrayal. The Federal Government must therefore stop treating allegations of complicity within security agencies as mere public relations irritants. These accusations are too grave to be dismissed with routine denials. Nigerians deserve transparent investigations, decisive prosecutions and institutional cleansing.

There must be urgent and independent probes into allegations of collusion between security personnel and armed groups. Any officer found aiding terrorists should face the full weight of the law, including dismissal, prosecution and severe punishment. The war against terrorism cannot be won when traitors operate from within.

At the same time, it is important to acknowledge that many Nigerian soldiers and police officers remain patriotic, courageous and committed to defending the nation under extremely difficult conditions. Countless officers have lost their lives fighting insurgents and bandits across the country. Their sacrifices must never be forgotten.

However, the heroism of loyal officers makes the alleged betrayal by compromised personnel even more painful and unacceptable. A few bad elements can destroy the credibility of entire institutions and sabotage the sacrifices of patriotic officers risking their lives daily for Nigeria’s survival.

Nigeria stands today at a dangerous crossroads. Terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and communal violence have become existential threats. Citizens are exhausted by grief, insecurity and government assurances that rarely translate into safety.

What Nigerians need now is not propaganda or political defensiveness. They need truth, accountability and action.

The blood of innocent Nigerians cries out for justice.

Security agencies must remember that their allegiance is to the Federal Republic of Nigeria and not to terrorists, ethnic militias, religious extremists or criminal syndicates. Any officer who betrays that responsibility betrays not only the state, but also the memories of thousands of innocent Nigerians slaughtered by terror.

History will never be kind to traitors in uniform.

And Nigeria must never allow betrayal to wear the badge of patriotism.