Nigeria’s incoming Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa, has taken a hard stance on insecurity, insisting that governments must completely abandon ransom payments and any form of negotiation with terrorist groups.
During his Senate screening, he warned that these practices only fuel more violence by giving criminal networks the financial room to reorganize and strike again.
Musa argued that Nigeria’s ongoing security challenges cannot be resolved by military action alone.
According to him, the armed forces can only deliver a fraction of the national response needed. Issues such as poverty, weak governance at local levels, and limited community intelligence continue to empower criminal groups.
He urged state and local government leaders to step up, stressing that relying solely on security agencies creates gaps that criminals exploit.
He also faulted the slow pace of Nigeria’s justice system, especially in terrorism and kidnapping cases that drag on for years.
Musa believes that special courts, stronger penalties, and faster trials are necessary to boost confidence within security agencies.
On the operational front, he warned that crime is resurging along coastal corridors from Akwa Ibom toward Cameroon, prompting an expansion of Operation Delta Safe.
He also advocated a total halt to illegal mining, describing it as a major revenue stream for armed groups operating in forest zones.
The Defence Minister-designate revealed that the military intends to scale back routine road checkpoints so troops can be redeployed to strategic operations, especially in forests and hard-to-reach areas.
Restoring safe access to farmlands, he added, is now a national priority given the link between food security and stability.
Musa highlighted recruitment challenges as well.
Although tens of thousands apply to join the military each year, many recruits hesitate when it comes to deployment in conflict zones.
He reiterated that a unified national database would help eliminate identity fraud in recruitment and transform the country’s broader security architecture.
Nigeria’s fragmented data systems, he said, currently allow criminals to move freely and escape detection.
Reps Demand Transparency in Terrorism Prosecutions
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives concluded a three-day national security debate and rolled out one of its most comprehensive sets of reform recommendations to date.
Among them is a demand for open, transparent prosecution of terrorism-related cases to strengthen public trust.
The House called for better funding for security agencies, real-time intelligence sharing, advanced digital surveillance tools, and a stronger cashless framework to track illicit financing.
Lawmakers also backed the return of forward operating bases, expanded security formations in high-risk regions, and the use of drones and AI-driven technologies for border protection.
They recommended accelerated creation of state police, drastic reduction of VIP security escorts, and massive new recruitment into the armed forces and police. Improved welfare, including housing, insurance, and medical support for personnel, was also emphasized.
The lawmakers proposed public identification and prosecution of terrorism sponsors, the creation of special terrorism courts, harsher penalties for arms trafficking, and even a Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission.
A stronger partnership with ECOWAS, the AU, and Nigeria’s neighbors was also part of the plan.
Human rights lawyers, however, expressed mixed reactions to the push for open trials.
While some believe public proceedings will promote transparency, others caution that witnesses could become targets if their identities are not adequately protected.
Senate Backs Death Penalty for Kidnappers and Terror Sponsors
Over in the Senate, lawmakers rallied behind a bill to classify kidnapping and related crimes as acts of terrorism, making offenders, their sponsors, and informants eligible for the death penalty.
The proposal aims to give security agencies more power to pursue criminal networks that have devastated communities nationwide.
Senators who supported the measure described kidnapping as a coordinated and militarized criminal enterprise that has crippled families, disrupted schooling, and undermined economic activities.
Some lawmakers even dismissed existing deradicalization programs, arguing that many offenders return to crime after release.
The bill has been forwarded to the relevant committees for further scrutiny and is expected to return within two weeks.
