How Corruption in the Nigerian Army Fuels Boko Haram
Officials have stolen $15 billion in federal defense funds, resulting in an army that is ill-equipped and unprepared.
Earlier this year, Nigerian Lieutenant Colonel T.J. Abdallah found himself under investigation by senior military officials. His offense: He criticized them on a WhatsApp messaging group. Describing them as “Nollywood actors” (Nigeria’s version of Hollywood), Abdallah said they had failed to provide his men with the weapons and equipment they needed to fight Boko Haram, the militant group that has waged an armed insurgency in Nigeria since 2009.
But if the colonel’s criticisms are right, his men’s
