Defence Minister's Claim of Defeating Terrorists Doesn't Hold Water

Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa’s recent claim that terrorists have been defeated sounds unbelievable. If this were true, President Bola Tinubu would not be holding regular meetings with service chiefs. Security breaches keep happening one after another. This official claim of victory seems both early and laughable.

At the same time the minister made this statement, mass abductions were happening in Borgu, Niger State. This area is known for having terrorist groups. On 21 August, about 500 people were kidnapped, leading the president to send military and security personnel to the area to rescue the victims.

Five communities, Yagba, Mayanga, Dekara, Kapubara, and Gbagbazhi, were burned during the attack. A resident said, "They burnt all the houses there. They didn’t leave anything for us." Security operatives had previously warned the people to move due to the high presence of criminals in the area.

Just a few days after the minister’s claim, Boko Haram fighters attacked a village in Adamawa and killed 11 people. Many communities in Adamawa State have faced attacks from insurgents throughout this year. In early September, a more daring attack happened when terrorists tried to seize a military base in Pulka, Gwarzo Local Government Area of Borno State.

Earlier in March, many dead bodies were found in Ngoshe after a four-day terrorist attack. Soldiers faced heavy casualties. Sani Uba, the spokesman of the Joint Task Force in the area, said military positions in Marte, Kouduga, Mainok, and Jakana were attacked. He said, "Regrettably, several brave soldiers paid the supreme price in the line of duty, including a gallant officer, who fought courageously while leading his troops against the attackers."

These gruesome stories contradict Mr Musa’s claim that, "We don’t have those brazen attacks that used to be. Before now, Boko Haram would go to places, attack areas, and go. We don’t have that anymore."

We cannot forget that the May Oriire school kidnapping of 46 students and teachers in Oyo State was done by terrorists who came from Kogi State. Two of the teachers taken were killed, including Mathematics teacher Matthew Oyedokun, who was beheaded.

Nigeria is still struggling with insecurity. The May 2026 Global Terrorism Index (GTI) ranked Nigeria 4th out of 153 countries. We cannot escape this problem through mere wishful thinking. Mr Musa’s stance is similar to what the Muhammadu Buhari administration said. They claimed terrorists had been technically degraded. But weakened insurgents once ambushed the president’s convoy in Niger State, thinking he was there. There were casualties. It was surprising that supposedly degraded terrorists shot down a military helicopter in August 2023 during a casualty evacuation mission in Chukuba village, Shiro, in the same state, resulting in the deaths of some military officers.

When he was Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Musa often reminded the government that using force alone would not defeat terrorism in Nigeria. He insisted that a balance of 30 to 70 percent of firepower and good governance was needed. It has only been 11 months since Mr Musa left that position. Has anything really changed regarding the 70 percent good governance he mentioned? Good governance is important for job creation, healthcare, access to clean water, electricity, education, good roads, and an economy that helps lift people out of poverty.

These are serious issues that add to Nigeria’s insecurity. Former Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, mentioned in 2021 that it would take about 20 years to defeat insurgency in the North-east. Large areas of ungoverned land and our weak borders with Chad and Niger, along with instability in the Sahel, are still major threats.

Mr Musa should know better. Under Nigeria’s counter-terrorism laws, kidnapping is seen as an act of terror. When terrorists carry out mass abductions, they make billions in ransom, which they use to buy weapons.

The ongoing mass killings have turned Plateau and Benue states into graveyards. Over 500,000 victims of armed attacks are now in Internally Displaced Peoples camps in Benue State, coming from areas like Agatu, Kwande, Guma, and Gwer West.

The mass murder in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State in August, where about 20 people died, contradicts Mr Musa’s claim. The military even moved its tactical headquarters from Jos to that local government area after that incident. What could be more daring than these attacks? We ask the minister.

While we can acknowledge that the military has stepped up its fight against insurgents, killing more of them than before, this should not be taken as a sign that terrorism is defeated. To say so would not be honest and would ignore the reality on the ground.