Gen. Christopher Musa, the newly appointed Minister of Defence, outlined strategies to tackle terrorism and insecurity during his Senate screening. He stressed, “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.” Musa also emphasized digital monitoring of ransom payments, urging governments at all levels to address poverty, illiteracy, and poor governance, which fuel criminal activity.
The Minister called for a single national database linking citizens’ identities, banking, and security records to enhance counter-terrorism efforts. He criticized Nigeria’s slow justice system, stating, “In some countries, terrorism cases are handled decisively. Here, cases drag for years. It discourages security forces who risk their lives to make arrests.” Musa also promised increased funding for the armed forces, coordinated inter-agency operations, and community engagement to defeat insurgency nationwide.