We Have Defeated Terrorists” — Defence Minister Musa

Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (rtd.), has declared that Nigerian security forces have defeated terrorists, while noting that the security threat has largely shifted from terrorism to kidnapping.

According to Ireporter Online, Musa made the assertion during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday.

The minister was asked whether Nigeria had truly defeated terrorism or merely pushed terrorist groups into different areas. In response, he maintained that the country had made significant progress in the fight against terrorism, arguing that attacks were no longer as frequent or brazen as they were in the past.

Musa said the current security challenge was increasingly characterised by abductions and kidnapping, which he described as a broader social problem affecting communities.

He further stated that security had improved under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, pointing to the reduced frequency of attacks linked to Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).

According to the former Chief of Defence Staff, Nigerian troops are increasingly penetrating terrorist hideouts and successfully rescuing people who have been abducted.

Musa explained that security threats could move through different stages, from criminal activities to kidnapping, terrorism and insurgency. He said sustained pressure from security forces could force such groups to retreat to less sophisticated forms of criminal activity.

The minister maintained that the government’s military operations had significantly weakened terrorist groups and limited their ability to carry out large-scale attacks, although kidnapping and abduction remain major security concerns.