Defence Minister Urges Governors to Stop Giving Motorcycles as Palliatives

Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (retd.), has urged state governors and lawmakers to stop distributing motorcycles as palliatives, warning that some of the vehicles could end up with terrorists.

Musa made the call while speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, saying motorcycles could provide terrorists with mobility that makes it easier for them to move through difficult terrain and escape security operations.

“We try to appeal to any governor to stop giving out motorcycles as palliatives because these motorcycles are still the same ones that will end up with these terrorists,” he said.

He advised that where motorcycles must be distributed, authorities should consider low-capacity models that would be less useful to terrorists seeking to move quickly across communities.

Musa said larger motorcycles could give criminals an advantage because they could use them to enter areas and disappear before security forces could respond.

The minister also said Nigeria had recorded improvements in its security situation, with attacks by Boko Haram and ISWAP becoming less frequent.

He said the security situation had shifted from large-scale terrorism and insurgency towards kidnapping and abduction, which he described as easier means for criminals to raise funds.

Musa said troops were increasingly entering terrorist enclaves and recovering abducted victims.

He also stressed the importance of allowing local governments to function effectively, identifying weak local governance as one of the factors contributing to insecurity.

The minister maintained that the security situation should continue to improve as security forces sustain operations against criminal and terrorist groups.