Terrorism Has Drastically Reduced Across Nigeria, No Country Is 100 Percent Secure – Defence Minister Musa

Terrorism Has Drastically Reduced Across Nigeria, No Country Is 100 Percent Secure – Defence Minister Musa

Defence Minister Christopher Musa wants Nigerians to know that things are getting better, even if it does not always feel that way. Speaking during an interview on Arise Television on Friday, the minister said that terrorist activities have significantly declined compared to previous years, and he rated the country's ongoing security efforts at about 65 to 70 percent. He acknowledged that incidents of terrorism and kidnapping still occur, but he argued that no country in the world is 100 percent secure, and Nigeria should not be held to an impossible standard.

His statement has sparked a wave of reactions from Nigerians who feel that the reality on the ground does not match his assessment. Many people pointed to the recent attacks in Oyo State where a teacher was killed and several others were abducted, as well as the constant banditry in the North, as evidence that the situation is still dire. They asked what statistics the minister was looking at, because the average Nigerian does not feel safer than they did five years ago. Some accused him of playing politics with security, trying to paint a rosy picture ahead of future elections.

Musa also linked some of the insecurity challenges to the erosion of family values and weak social orientation, arguing that many of those involved in kidnapping are driven by a desire for quick wealth rather than honest hard work. That part of his statement has also been criticized, with many saying that poverty and unemployment are the real drivers, not just moral decay. The minister is standing by his assessment, but convincing Nigerians to agree with him will take more than an interview on television.