‘We Have Defeated Terrorists’ – Defence Minister, Musa

The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (Rtd.), has said security operatives have defeated terrorists, and attacks have largely shifted to kidnapping.

Naija News reports that Musa made the remark during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday.

Asked whether Nigeria had defeated terrorists or merely displaced them, the Minister said Nigeria has defeated terrorism, maintaining that terrorist attacks are no longer as brazen as they used to be.

He said, “Frankly speaking we have defeated terrorists because now, like I said, the attacks are not as rampant and it is now kidnapping. Like I said, kidnapping is a social ill where you now see wives kidnapping husbands and husbands kidnapping children.”

According to the former Chief of Defence Staff, security has improved in Nigeria under President Bola Tinubu as issues of Boko Haram and ISWAP attacks are rarely heard in the country.

Musa stated that troops are now moving into the terrorists’ enclaves and recovering many of the abducted individuals.

He added, “I can tell you there is improved security. Maybe if you noticed, you don’t hear so much of Boko Haram attacks, ISWAP attacks and all these things here and there, maybe one-off.

“Now I say, the trajectory is this, from criminality to kidnapping to terrorism, insurgency; once you are able to hit them it goes back downwards and so we are now back into the stage of abductions and kidnappings because that is the easiest way for them to try and raise money.”