Former Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mike Ejiofor, says terrorist groups operating in Nigeria should not be regarded as representatives of Islam, arguing that intelligence assessments show their actions are driven by criminality rather than genuine religious beliefs.
Speaking during an interview on Arise Television, Ejiofor said insecurity has affected Nigerians across religious, ethnic and regional lines, making it inaccurate to portray the violence as targeting only Christians or Muslims. He noted that victims of terrorism come from diverse backgrounds, demonstrating that insurgents attack without regard to religion or ethnicity.
“They have said they want to Islamize Nigeria, but they are not even practicing Muslims from the studies we have had,” Ejiofor said.
He warned that linking terrorism to Islam could fuel unnecessary religious tensions and weaken national unity against a common security threat. According to him, intelligence findings indicate the groups do not observe the moral values or religious obligations associated with Islam, and their actions should be treated as organized crime and terrorism.
Ejiofor urged Nigerians to reject narratives that politicize or religiously polarize the security crisis, stressing that unity remains essential in tackling terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes.
