Foreign Intelligence Influence and Ecosystem in Nigeria Should be Unravelled — PeacePro

The Foundation for Peace Professionals (PeacePro) has called for a comprehensive investigation into the foreign intelligence influence ecosystem in Nigeria, warning that the inquiry must go beyond formally funded civil society organisations and media houses to examine the wider networks through which foreign interests may influence Nigerians.

In a statement by its Executive Director, Abdulrazaq Hamzat, PeacePro said the focus should not be limited to who receives foreign resources, but should examine the relationships, access, information flows and influence that may accompany them.

“The question is not simply who funds these organisations or engages these individuals. The bigger question is who is influencing whom, through what channels, for what purpose and ultimately in whose interest?”

PeacePro said Nigerians do not necessarily have to knowingly cooperate with a foreign intelligence operation before becoming useful to it.

“A Nigerian can be completely unaware of an intelligence operation and still become useful to foreign strategic interests. What begins as research, advocacy, media engagement, fellowship, consultancy, conference participation, funding or a personal relationship may acquire strategic value beyond what the individual initially understands.”

The organisation therefore called for examination of the broader ecosystem, including funding arrangements, research partnerships, fellowships, consultancies, sponsored campaigns, media relationships, digital influence networks, strategic communications and access to sensitive information.

PeacePro, however, cautioned against equating foreign engagement with espionage.

“Foreign funding is not automatically proof of espionage. But neither should the language of development assistance make Nigerians incapable of asking whether strategic interests accompany foreign resources.”

It said scrutiny must be universal.

“If Nigeria is serious about sovereignty, nobody should be above scrutiny, not government, not civil society, not the media, not influencers, not political actors and not foreign partners.”

PeacePro said the investigation should not end with identifying possible influence networks. It should lead to a national counter-intelligence awareness framework that equips Nigerians to recognise potential manipulation, recruitment and exploitation.

The organisation proposed structured awareness programmes for journalists, academics, researchers, influencers, civil society actors, political actors and other professionals who regularly interact with foreign institutions.

Such programmes, it said, should help citizens recognise potential warning signs, including unusual approaches for sensitive information, attempts to cultivate privileged relationships, unexplained financial or logistical support, requests for confidential information and efforts to influence public opinion or policy through concealed interests.

“A Nigerian does not have to know that an intelligence operation exists before becoming useful to it. An informed citizenry is one of the strongest protections against manipulation.”

PeacePro urged the government to establish lawful and confidential channels through which citizens who suspect they are being approached or exploited by foreign interests can seek guidance without automatically being treated as suspects.

Hamzat said Nigeria must move beyond asking how foreign intelligence might use Nigerians and develop the capacity to understand foreign strategic interests, protect sensitive national information and negotiate international relationships from a position of knowledge and confidence.

PeacePro concluded that, “the strongest counterintelligence system is not one that merely watches Nigerians. It makes it difficult for Nigerians to be manipulated.”