Defence Minister Rates Tinubu Govt 70% on Security

Defence Minister Christopher Musa has rated the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu between 65 and 70 per cent on security performance, saying terrorism had been significantly reduced despite persistent kidnapping challenges across the country.

Speaking on ARISE News on Friday to mark the administration’s third anniversary, Musa argued that while no country is entirely free from crime, Nigeria had made major progress against terrorism.

“I’ll give ourselves 65 to 70%. No nation is totally free from crime and criminality,” he said, adding that acts of terrorism had reduced considerably.

The minister described kidnapping as a broader societal problem linked to the breakdown of family values rather than solely a security failure.

“We have fathers kidnapping children, children kidnapping each other, brothers kidnapping sisters. It tells you that something is wrong with the family,” Musa said.

His remarks come amid renewed concern over school abductions in parts of the country. At least 82 pupils were abducted between May 13 and 15 during attacks in Borno and Oyo states.

In Borno State, 42 pupils were kidnapped after armed groups attacked schools in Askira Uba and Chibok local government areas.

In Oyo State, 40 pupils were abducted during coordinated attacks on schools in Oriire Local Government Area. The incident also claimed the lives of mathematics teacher Michael Oyedokun, a motorcyclist, and a security operative killed during rescue attempts involving improvised explosive devices.

The Defence Headquarters blamed the Oyo attack on terrorists linked to the JAS faction displaced by military operations in other parts of the country.

Human rights organisation Amnesty International said at least 1,100 people were abducted nationwide between January and April 2026, describing the trend as evidence of continuing protection failures for vulnerable communities.

Musa defended ongoing military operations, citing the recent killing of a deputy ISIS commander after what he described as months of intelligence tracking and covert planning.

“The recent killing of that deputy ISIS commander was a painstaking operation that began since last year,” he said.

The defence minister also praised increasing cooperation from citizens and highlighted international partnerships with the United States, Britain, France, Brazil, and Turkey in Nigeria’s counter-terrorism operations.

“We are working with our partners, the Americans, the British, the French. All of them want Nigeria to succeed,” Musa stated.

He warned against allowing terrorism to become entrenched, referencing Turkey’s decades-long struggle against insurgency as a lesson for Nigeria.