Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar Christopher Musa, has stated that terrorism and insecurity across the country have reduced significantly, giving the nation’s security efforts a performance rating of between 65 and 70 per cent.
Speaking during an interview on Arise Television on Friday, Musa said although Nigeria still faces isolated cases of terrorism, kidnapping and other criminal activities, the overall security situation has improved considerably when compared with previous years.
According to the Defence Minister, no country in the world is entirely free from crime and criminality, stressing that Nigeria’s security agencies have continued to make substantial progress in tackling insecurity across various regions.
“Yes, I’ll give ourselves a 65 to 70 per cent score,” Musa said during the interview. “No nation is totally free from crime and criminality, but the level of terrorism across the country has actually drastically reduced.”
Musa attributed many of the country’s security challenges to a decline in family values and poor societal orientation. He argued that the growing involvement of young people and even family members in kidnapping and criminal activities reflects deeper social problems that require urgent attention.
“We have seen fathers kidnapping children, children kidnapping each other, and brothers kidnapping sisters,” he said. “It tells you that there’s something wrong with the family, and we need to look inward to see how we can rebuild those values again.”
The Defence Minister also stressed the importance of education and hard work, warning against the growing culture of seeking wealth through illegal shortcuts. According to him, many kidnappers and criminal gangs are motivated by the desire for quick financial gain rather than legitimate means of livelihood.
Musa further suggested that some acts of kidnapping and violence may be politically motivated. He claimed certain criminal activities appear designed to portray the government as weak or create the impression that the country is ungovernable.
“And again, you can’t rule out politics,” he said. “Some of these kidnappings may be acts of sabotage intended to undermine confidence in the government.”
Despite the ongoing challenges, Musa commended the efforts of the armed forces and other security agencies, noting that they continue to work tirelessly to combat insecurity nationwide. He also expressed appreciation to Nigerians for their increasing support and cooperation with security operatives.
“The level of support we are getting from Nigerians is a lot better than it used to be in the past, and we’re making more inroads,” he added.
