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Defence Minister Gen. Musa rules out negotiation or ransom payments, says such practices empower terrorists and fuel more attacks.
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Calls for a unified national database to improve intelligence, track ransom payments and dismantle criminal networks.
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Senate pushes for death penalty for kidnappers, while Reps demand open, transparent prosecution of terrorism cases
Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa, has declared that the Federal Government will no longer negotiate with terrorists or permit ransom payments, insisting such actions only strengthen criminal groups and escalate insecurity.
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Musa made the remark during his ministerial screening before the Senate on Wednesday, where he warned that communities and families that engage in negotiations often suffer renewed attacks even after compliance. He added that ransom transactions can be digitally tracked if Nigeria strengthens its security and banking data systems.
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The Defence Minister also stressed that Nigeria’s fight against insecurity will remain limited until the country establishes a unified national database, linking citizen identity, banking platforms and security records to enable effective monitoring of criminal activity.
‘Kinetic actions alone cannot win the war’
General Musa noted that military operations represent only 25–30 per cent of the counter-insurgency effort, adding that poverty, illiteracy, governance failures and weak local structures continue to fuel extremism.
He urged state and local governments to take greater responsibility for intelligence gathering, early threat detection and community-level interventions, insisting that security agencies alone cannot shoulder the national burden.
The retired general also criticised Nigeria’s slow judicial processes, especially prolonged terrorism trials, saying years-long cases dampen the morale of security personnel who risk their lives to arrest suspects.
He recommended special terrorism courts, stricter penalties and accelerated hearings.
Maritime crime, illegal mining, cultism heightening threats
Musa raised concerns over rising maritime insecurity along corridors between Akwa Ibom and Cameroon, noting renewed incidents of sea robbery, kidnapping and piracy. He confirmed that Operation Delta Safe had expanded to cover previously calm zones now experiencing infiltration.
He also called for a complete ban on illegal mining, which he described as a major source of funding for armed groups operating in forest belts nationwide.
The minister announced plans to scale down military checkpoints nationwide, redeploying troops to forests and ungoverned spaces for targeted operations.
He identified restoration of safe farmlands as a priority, warning that food insecurity remains a major national threat.
Musa disclosed that although more than 70,000 Nigerians apply for military service annually, many resist deployment to conflict zones. A unified national database, he said, would help verify applicants’ identities and eliminate recruitment fraud.
He insisted that Nigeria’s fragmented data systems — operating separately under immigration, quarantine and security agencies — enable criminals, kidnappers and cyber-networks to evade detection across states.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has adopted far-reaching security reform resolutions, including a call for open and transparent prosecution of terrorism cases.
Members made the demand after a special three-day national security debate involving security committee leaders, experts and constituency feedback from high-risk regions.
The lawmakers also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for recent security measures, including recruitment of additional police officers, redeployment of VIP security personnel, and expanded federal support for state-level security outfits.
