Fresh revelations have emerged exposing how some rogue soldiers within Nigeria’s armed forces allegedly divert weapons and ammunition meant for military operations to bandits and criminal networks operating across the country. Multiple security sources and insiders have disclosed that a sophisticated web of corruption, insider collusion, and weak oversight has enabled the illegal flow of arms from official armouries into the hands of terrorists and kidnappers.
According to sources familiar with internal military investigations, the diversion often begins at the level of field operations, where weapons assigned to troops are either “lost” in combat or deliberately declared missing. In many cases, soldiers are accused of selling firearms to criminal groups in exchange for cash or protection. “Some of these transactions are done quietly through intermediaries, while others are directly negotiated with bandit leaders,” a senior military officer told reporters under anonymity. “It’s a dangerous cycle that undermines the fight against insecurity.”
Investigations also revealed that some compromised officers exploit weak monitoring systems in armouries and the lack of digital tracking for weapons. In several instances, rifles, grenades, and ammunition recorded as “expended in battle” were later traced to bandit camps in the North West. A retired army colonel familiar with the issue said that the absence of serial-number auditing and accountability makes it easy for weapons to disappear without trace. “There’s no centralized digital inventory system; once a gun leaves the depot, it’s almost impossible to track,” he explained.
Intelligence reports have also linked a network of military suppliers, civilian collaborators, and corrupt middlemen who help transport weapons across state lines. These illegal consignments reportedly move through back routes and are exchanged for cash or livestock, particularly in rural communities where security checks are minimal. “It’s not just about soldiers selling weapons — there’s an entire black-market chain built around the trade,” a security analyst said. “Some bandits even boast that they buy their guns from the same people sent to fight them.”
Military authorities have repeatedly denied institutional complicity but admit that isolated cases of misconduct have been uncovered. The Defence Headquarters recently confirmed that several officers and soldiers had been court-martialed for illegal arms dealings and aiding criminal groups. A spokesperson for the military said the armed forces are working with intelligence agencies to trace and recover diverted weapons while strengthening internal control measures. “We have zero tolerance for betrayal of service. Anyone found guilty will face the full consequences,” the spokesperson said.
Security experts have called for urgent reforms, including modernized weapon-tracking systems, improved welfare for troops, and stronger internal audit mechanisms. They argue that economic hardship among soldiers, coupled with lack of oversight, fuels corruption and weakens morale. “When soldiers feel abandoned, some resort to unethical means of survival,” said Dr. Hassan Bello, a conflict researcher. “The government must address the root causes to restore integrity in the ranks.”
As banditry and terrorism continue to ravage communities across northern Nigeria, the alleged involvement of rogue soldiers has deepened public concern about the country’s internal security crisis. Analysts warn that unless the military closes ranks and plugs the loopholes in its armoury management, the war against insecurity may remain an uphill battle — one where the weapons meant to protect Nigerians keep ending up in the hands of their attackers.
