The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, has urged Nigerians to appreciate the efforts of the Armed Forces in tackling insecurity, saying that the country is making steady progress in the fight against terrorism, banditry, and other security threats.
General Musa made the statement on Thursday during an interview on Politics Today, a current affairs programme on Channels Television. He acknowledged that the country still faces serious challenges, but insisted that the situation has improved in many areas compared to the past.
“We should be very grateful that things are really picking up,” he said. “I don’t think there’s any country that has 100 percent peace.”
General Musa highlighted the recent arrest of the son of the late Boko Haram founder, Mohammed Yusuf, as well as two top commanders of Ansaru, a terrorist group linked to al-Qaeda. He described these arrests as major breakthroughs in the ongoing fight against terrorism.
“This is one of the most significant arrests that have been made,” he said. “Getting the two \[Ansaru commanders] shows how detailed the planning was. It didn’t just happen by chance.”
According to the Defence Chief, these arrests demonstrate the level of intelligence work and coordination being carried out by the Nigerian military and other security agencies.
He added that operations are ongoing in various parts of the country to track down and dismantle remaining terrorist cells.
General Musa stressed that no country in the world is completely free from security problems. He noted that Nigeria has been battling serious insecurity for over 16 years, especially in the North-East where Boko Haram launched its insurgency in 2009.
“Sixteen years, we’ve been like this; it’s not something, within two years, that we will be able to stop,” he said. “But I can tell you, we’ve made giant strides.”
He pointed out that while the road ahead is still long, citizens should not ignore the progress that has been made in recent years.
Nigeria’s major security crisis began in 2009 with the rise of Boko Haram, a violent Islamist group that initially started in Borno State. The group gained national attention when it began attacking police stations, schools, churches, and government buildings.
By 2014, Boko Haram had taken over large parts of the North-East, including key towns in Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa states. At the height of its insurgency, the group declared a so-called Islamic caliphate and pledged allegiance to the Islamic State.
Although the Nigerian military has since recaptured most of the territories seized by the group, Boko Haram and its splinter factions, such as the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Ansaru, continue to carry out attacks in remote areas.
Ansaru, in particular, broke away from Boko Haram around 2012. It has been active in the North-West and is known for targeting foreigners and carrying out kidnappings for ransom. The recent arrests of its top leaders are seen as a blow to the group’s operations.
Aside from terrorism, Nigeria is also dealing with widespread banditry in the North-West, violent farmer-herder conflicts in the North-Central, separatist violence in the South-East, and oil theft in the South-South.
In the South-West and other regions, cases of cultism, armed robbery, and kidnappings have also been reported. These threats have stretched the country’s security forces, leading to calls for better funding, equipment, and manpower.
General Musa acknowledged these concerns but said the Armed Forces are working hard to restore order across the country.
“We are not sleeping. Our troops are in the field day and night. It’s not easy, but we are committed,” he said.
The Defence Chief also called on Nigerians to play an active role in improving security by cooperating with law enforcement agencies and sharing useful information.
“Security is everybody’s business. We need the people to support us. When they see something, they should say something,” he said.
He warned against spreading false information or losing hope, saying such attitudes only make the job of security agencies harder.
“We understand the pain that people are going through, but we also want them to understand that things are changing, slowly but surely,” he added.
General Musa said the military remains focused on its mission to secure Nigeria and ensure peace in all regions. He expressed hope that with continued effort, support from citizens, and cooperation among security agencies, Nigeria will overcome its current challenges.
“Give us time, and you’ll see the results. We are not where we want to be, but we are not where we used to be,” he concluded.
