FBy Dayo Dareollowing the resignation of former Minister of Defence Mohammad Badaru, President Bola Tinubu has nominated Gen. Christopher Musa to take over the nation’s top defense position.
Gen. Musa appeared before the National Assembly on Wednesday for his ministerial screening, where he was questioned by lawmakers led by Senate President Godswill Akpabio. The session followed the president’s formal recommendation and came at a time when Nigeria is grappling with escalating insurgency and nationwide security failures.
During the screening, Gen. Musa laid out his security agenda clearly and firmly. He announced that under his leadership, Nigeria will adopt a zero-tolerance approach to negotiating with terrorists or paying ransoms.
“There is no negotiation with any criminal. When people pay ransoms, it buys terrorists time to regroup, re-arm and plan new attacks. Communities that negotiated still got attacked later,” he said.
Gen. Musa also stressed the urgent need for a comprehensive national database, one that links every citizen’s identity and strengthens law enforcement capabilities. According to him, Nigeria cannot effectively combat terrorism without a modernized system of identification.
He further highlighted that the military accounts for only 30% of counterinsurgency efforts, arguing that the root causes of insecurity—poverty, illiteracy, poor governance and weak institutional structures—must be addressed in tandem with military action.
Musa criticized Nigeria’s slow judicial process, especially prolonged terrorism and kidnapping trials, saying the delays dampen the morale of security forces.
“In some countries, terrorism cases are handled decisively. Here, cases drag for years. It discourages security forces who risk their lives to make arrests,” he added.
The nominee also called for an outright ban on illegal mining, describing it as a major revenue source for armed groups operating across forest belts and ungoverned spaces.
As part of his strategy, Gen. Musa plans to reduce soldiers’ presence at routine checkpoints nationwide and redeploy them into targeted hotspots inside forests where armed groups operate.
He emphasized that restoring safe access to farmlands remains a key priority, framing food security as a core element of national stability.
Gen. Musa’s strong declarations come as the House of Representatives begins deliberations on fast-tracking terrorism prosecutions and developing new measures to combat Nigeria’s worsening insurgency crisis.
