The Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (retd.), has said Nigeria has made significant progress in the fight against terrorism, arguing that attacks by Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have become less frequent.
Musa made the assertion on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, while responding to questions about the country’s security situation under President Bola Tinubu.
The minister maintained that the nature of criminal activities confronting the country had changed, with kidnappings and abductions now posing a more prominent threat than conventional terrorist attacks.
Asked whether Nigeria had defeated terrorists or merely displaced them, the minister said, “Frankly speaking we have (defeated terrorists) because now, like I said, the attacks are not as rampant and it is now kidnapping. Like I said, kidnapping is a social ill where you now see wives kidnapping husbands and husbands kidnapping children.”
According to him, the security situation has improved considerably, as attacks previously associated with Boko Haram and ISWAP are no longer being reported with the same frequency.
“I can tell you there is improved security. Maybe if you noticed, you don’t hear so much of Boko Haram attacks, ISWAP attacks and all these things here and there, maybe one off.
“Now I say, the trajectory is this, from criminality to kidnapping to terrorism, insurgency; once you are able to hit them it goes back downwards and so we are now back into the stage of abductions and kidnappings because that is the easiest way for them to try and raise money.”
Musa further disclosed that security forces had intensified operations inside terrorist strongholds, resulting in the recovery of a number of people abducted by criminal groups.
Speaking on the 2027 general elections, the minister dismissed concerns that insecurity could affect President Tinubu’s re-election campaign.
Musa, who is a member of the security sub-committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign team, also defended his participation, saying his professional responsibilities would remain separate from partisan politics.
“I am a professional, I will never succumb to that level (being partisan against opposition). Nigeria is my unit, whatever it takes to protect Nigeria that is what we stand for.
“We want a peaceful election, so we are going to work towards that and we are going to work with all the parties because that is why I am Minister of Defence, to ensure that every security force does what is right.
“So like I said, we are going to support INEC to ensure that the election is free, fair and credible because we want Nigeria to come out of all these election issues. We have gone past that.”
The Defence Minister also urged state governors and other public officials to reconsider the practice of distributing motorcycles as palliatives.
He warned that motorcycles given out under such programmes could eventually find their way into the hands of terrorists, providing them with an easier means of movement across difficult terrain.
“We try to appeal to any governor to stop giving out motorcycles as palliatives because these motorcycles are still the same ones that will end up with these terrorists. Even if you are to give, don’t give them the big capacity motorcycles, give them the small capacity ones that they won’t be able to use to run around because that gives them leverage. They can easily enter anywhere and then disappear at the same time.”
Musa also called for stronger local government administration, arguing that ineffective local councils contribute to the security challenges confronting the country.
Post A Comment: