PeacePro Demands Deep Investigation into Foreign Influence Networks in Nigeria

The Foundation for Peace Professionals (PeacePro), a non-governmental organisation, has advocated for a thorough investigation into the foreign intelligence influence landscape within Nigeria. The group emphasized that such an inquiry should extend beyond formally funded civil society organisations and media establishments, delving into the broader networks through which external interests might sway Nigerians.

This call was made in a statement released yesterday in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, signed by PeacePro’s Executive Director, Abdulrazaq Hamzat. The statement highlighted that the focus should transcend mere recipients of foreign aid, to scrutinize the accompanying relationships, accessibility, information exchange, and overall influence.

PeacePro articulated its stance, stating, “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?”

The organisation further posited that Nigerians do not necessarily require conscious collaboration with a foreign intelligence operation to become instrumental to its objectives. According to the statement, “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.”

Consequently, PeacePro urged for a scrutiny of the wider ecosystem, encompassing various elements such as funding arrangements, collaborative research projects, fellowship programs, consulting roles, sponsored awareness campaigns, media affiliations, digital influence networks, strategic communication efforts, and access to classified information.

However, PeacePro issued a caveat, warning against the automatic assumption that foreign engagement equates to 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,” the group stated.

The organisation stressed the imperative for universal scrutiny, asserting, “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 maintained that the proposed investigation should culminate in the establishment of a national counter-intelligence awareness framework. This framework aims to empower Nigerians to identify potential manipulation, recruitment attempts, and exploitation.

To achieve this, the organisation suggested implementing structured awareness programs targeting journalists, academics, researchers, social media influencers, civil society activists, political figures, and other professionals who frequently interact with international institutions. Such initiatives, it explained, would assist citizens in recognizing potential red flags, including unusual requests for sensitive data, attempts to foster exclusive relationships, unexplained financial or logistical aid, demands for confidential details, and efforts to shape public opinion or policy through undisclosed agendas.