Fresh concerns have emerged within Nigeria’s security establishment over claims that some former terrorists integrated into security structures may be leaking sensitive information to criminal networks.

The development comes amid renewed national debate over why terrorism and banditry continue to thrive despite repeated claims that authorities possess intelligence on the identities and locations of those behind the attacks.

Across several parts of northern Nigeria, communities continue to grapple with deadly raids, kidnappings and destruction of livelihoods, even as officials insist that security agencies are making progress in the fight against insurgency.

However, a number of senior security officers, speaking anonymously, say part of the problem may lie within the system itself.

One serving officer alleged that some individuals who once belonged to bandit groups but later claimed to have repented were recruited into security units, a development he warned could be compromising operational intelligence.

“Many of the soldiers in some units are those recruited from among bandits who said they had repented. Some of them still maintain contact with their former associates,” the officer said.

According to him, the situation may be contributing to repeated leaks of operational information, enabling armed groups to evade security operations or ambush troops.

The officer added that the decision to reintegrate former fighters into the system began during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, warning that its consequences could linger for decades.

Security analysts say the allegations highlight the complex challenges confronting Nigeria’s counter-terrorism strategy.

Earlier, Islamic cleric Abubakar Gumi reignited the debate after claiming in a television interview that the government already knows the identities and locations of terrorists operating across the country.

Gumi, who has previously acted as an intermediary between authorities and armed groups, said he had personally visited bandit camps in the forests, sometimes under the watch of security agents.

His comments triggered widespread public reactions, with many Nigerians questioning why terrorists continue to operate freely if such intelligence exists.

Adding to the controversy, Dauda Lawal had earlier claimed that authorities possess detailed information about the whereabouts of bandit leaders operating within his state.

In a widely circulated video, the governor said he could track the movements of some bandit leaders using available intelligence tools, though operational decisions remain within the control of federal security agencies.

Former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai also fueled the debate months earlier when he alleged that bandits were at some point secretly paid in an effort to discourage attacks, a claim that generated significant controversy and demands for evidence.

Security experts say the persistence of terrorism in Nigeria cannot be explained by intelligence gaps alone.

Intelligence consultant Yahuza Getzo said the crisis is shaped by multiple factors, including porous borders linking Nigeria with neighbouring countries and the activities of transnational criminal networks.

According to him, the key issue may not be the absence of intelligence but whether institutions are effectively using the resources and information available to them.

Retired United States Army officer Capt. Bishop Johnson also described Nigeria’s response to insecurity as largely reactive, warning that criminal groups are increasingly driven by economic incentives such as ransom payments and illegal mining.

He suggested that kidnappings in parts of the country may sometimes serve as diversionary tactics while illegal extraction of mineral resources takes place beyond the reach of state authorities.

Meanwhile, Dr Tony Ofoyetan, Director-General of the International Institute of Professional Security, said the proliferation of sleeper cells within communities and institutions has made the fight against terrorism more complicated.

According to him, such networks often infiltrate social, political and economic systems, quietly gathering intelligence over long periods before attacks are launched.

Retired naval officer Rear Admiral Dickson Olisemelor also questioned why known criminal movements sometimes appear to go unchallenged, citing instances where large groups of armed men reportedly travelled openly through communities before carrying out attacks.

He said the repeated loss of military officers and equipment in recent confrontations raises serious questions about the effectiveness of current strategies.

For many Nigerians, however, the debate ultimately returns to one troubling question: if authorities possess the intelligence needed to dismantle terrorist networks, why does the violence continue.

Until that question is convincingly answered, communities across the country remain trapped between hope for security and the daily fear of the next attack.