Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa, has declared that there should be no negotiation or ransom payment to terrorists, stressing that such actions only strengthen criminal networks and prolong insecurity.
Speaking during his ministerial screening at the Senate, Musa warned that paying ransoms enables terrorists to regroup, re-arm, and launch further attacks. He noted that communities that had previously negotiated with criminals continued to experience subsequent attacks. He added that Nigeria’s banking system has the capability to trace suspicious financial flows if the necessary tools are fully activated.
Musa emphasised that military operations alone cannot defeat insecurity, estimating that kinetic efforts contribute only 25–30 percent of overall security measures. He identified poverty, illiteracy, weak governance, and ineffective local government structures as key factors sustaining criminal networks. He called on state and local administrators to take responsibility for intelligence gathering and early intervention, underscoring that security agencies cannot bear the burden alone.
The minister also expressed concern over Nigeria’s slow judicial process, particularly in terrorism and kidnapping cases, which often extend over several years. He recommended urgent legal reforms, including the establishment of special courts for terrorism, stricter penalties, and accelerated hearings to bolster national security.
Musa highlighted emerging criminal activity across maritime corridors linking Akwa Ibom to Cameroon, citing sea robbery, piracy, and coastal kidnappings. He confirmed that Operation Delta Safe is expanding into previously stable areas now showing signs of infiltration.
He further called for a total ban on illegal mining, describing it as a major funding source for armed groups operating in forest regions.
Announcing plans to reduce routine military checkpoints nationwide, Musa stated that the move would allow more troops to return to field operations in forests and ungoverned spaces. He emphasised that restoring safe access to farmlands remains a top priority, noting that food security is integral to national stability. “A hungry man is an angry man. Protecting farmers means protecting the nation,” he said.
Musa revealed that more than 70,000 Nigerians apply for military recruitment annually, but many resist deployment to conflict zones. He stressed that a unified national database would improve identity verification, eliminate recruitment fraud, and enhance tracking of criminals across states.
He described Nigeria’s fragmented data systems as a significant obstacle, pointing out that separate databases held by immigration, quarantine, and other agencies create loopholes exploited by terrorists, kidnappers, cybercriminals, and illegal miners. He urged the creation of a single national database to streamline tracking, disable bank accounts linked to crime, and strengthen intelligence coordination across agencies.
Following a special three-day debate, the House of Representatives adopted extensive national security reform resolutions, calling for open and transparent prosecution of all terrorism-related cases to reduce violent crimes and restore public confidence.
