Nigeria’s Senate and House of Representatives yesterday signaled a decisive move to overhaul the nation’s struggling security framework. This shift was marked by the confirmation of General Christopher Musa as the new Minister of Defence following intense scrutiny, and the approval of sweeping, tough-minded resolutions that firmly prohibit ransom payments and amnesty deals while demanding tighter weapons control and stricter anti-terror laws.
The Senate confirmed the former Chief of Defence Staff after a tense, three-hour screening session characterized by a rare show of bipartisan firmness and loud protests on the floor. Senators renewed their scrutiny over Nigeria’s escalating insecurity crisis.
The Senate Grills the New Defence Minister
The Red Chamber flatly rejected initial calls for General Musa to “take a bow and go,” insisting instead on extensive questioning. Senators pressed him hard on issues ranging from defence funding and the persistent gaps in intelligence and technology, to the surge in banditry, terrorist infiltration, and the circumstances surrounding recent military lapses and mass kidnappings.
The screening coincided with a fresh legislative push by the Senate to designate kidnapping as a terrorist offense, proposing the death penalty without the option of a fine. This move aims to equip the incoming Minister with a harsher legal deterrent.
A brief but telling drama unfolded when Senator Sani Musa suggested the “take a bow and go” tradition, claiming that most national security discussions had already occurred in closed-door executive sessions. This suggestion immediately triggered a loud, unified outcry of “No! No! No!” from many senators who demanded a full, public interrogation.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio quickly restored order and emphatically declared, “This is not a time for bow and go. Our constituents are asking questions. Our children, brothers, and sisters are in the bush. Even Donald Trump is on our neck.” Akpabio also raised pointed concerns over alleged security orders directing troops to withdraw before the infamous kidnapping of schoolchildren in Kebbi, questioning who leaked sensitive operational information involving a senior military officer.
Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin offered a counterpoint, arguing that insurgency was actually declining until the “infamous statement” by President Donald Trump, which he claimed escalated tensions. He commended President Bola Tinubu for successes in stabilizing areas like Monguno, noting, “When people talk in Nigeria, they behave as if nothing is moving.”
Musa Vows “No Negotiation with Criminals”
Responding to the barrage of questions, General Musa was uncompromising in his stance: “No negotiation with criminals. Nigeria must stop ransom payments, and states must not engage in deals that compromise national security.”
He stressed that the fight against insecurity cannot be won solely by the military. “Good governance, justice and equity are key. Security is local. We must carry the people along. We need a comprehensive, unified national database. Only 25–30 per cent of this war is kinetic. The rest is governance,” he stated.
Musa also pointed to the importance of improved technology, perimeter fencing, and community cooperation as necessary steps to end the mass kidnapping of schoolchildren. He criticized the long delays in terrorism and kidnapping trials, describing them as demoralizing for security agencies. Addressing the controversial capture of a brigade commander by insurgents, Musa vowed, “We will not allow terrorists to build such capacity. We will investigate fully, and anyone found culpable will face the law. There must be no indolence in the Armed Forces.”
Senators like Abdul Ningi and Ali Ndume pressed him on the military’s apparent inability to match bandits’ superior firepower. Ningi asked bluntly: “Why are we seeing bandits with more sophisticated weapons while our officers still carry AK-47s?” Musa conceded that significant gaps persist, particularly in technology and intelligence integration, and pledged urgent reforms.
Former Senate Leader Ali Ndume urged the minister-designate to push for the Nigerian Armed Forces to be placed on a First Line Charge, similar to INEC or the NDDC, to receive funds directly from the Federation Account. He argued that predictable defence funding would eliminate the bureaucratic delays that cripple military operations. Ndume also insisted that Musa prioritize better welfare for troops, lamenting that Nigerian soldiers are currently not among the best paid in the West African sub-region.
General Musa listed his core action points, which include: withdrawing soldiers from routine checkpoints to allow police and civil defence to take over; redeploying troops to the forests to hunt terrorists “in their hideouts”; strengthening synergy with governors and various MDAs; aggressive community engagement, modeled after successful efforts in Maiduguri; and vigorously tackling illegal mining linked to terrorism financing.
He acknowledged the massive public expectations following his nomination, saying, “I felt the heat when my name was announced. I cannot afford to fail myself, my nation or my family.” He pledged a strict professional regime: “No indolence. No cowardice.”
Senate President Akpabio confirmed that the Senate is already processing the bill to designate kidnapping as a terrorist act punishable by death. “We are giving you the enabling framework,” he told Musa. “If they are not deterred, they will face a death sentence.”
House of Representatives Bans Ransom, Orders Nationwide Firearms Audit
Simultaneously, the House of Representatives adopted a series of impactful resolutions aimed at fundamentally overhauling the national security architecture following weeks of heightened terrorist attacks. The lawmakers proposed stricter legal actions, enhanced surveillance, and systemic accountability for all weapons used by security agencies.
The resolutions, adopted after three days of exhaustive debates, drew input from experts, committee chairmen, and regional caucus leaders. A key resolution prohibits the payment of amnesty and ransom to terrorists, mandating that all responses to criminal acts must strictly follow lawful criminal justice procedures. The lawmakers argued that informal negotiations or payments only serve to embolden criminal networks and compromise national security.
“That ransom payments and informal amnesty negotiations by government entities should be prohibited, and a clear legal framework should be enacted to outlaw such practices while regulating any authorised amnesty processes. Only lawful criminal-justice procedures shall prevail,” the lawmakers stated.
Adopting over 40 recommendations, the Green Chamber also mandated a national audit of firearms and security equipment. The House directed the government to establish a unified inventory system with digital tracking and periodic audits. This is aimed at preventing the diversion, loss, or misuse of weapons held by both security agencies and private security outfits.
Furthermore, the lawmakers declared border security a national emergency, recommending the immediate deployment of modern technologies like drones, biometric systems, satellite imagery, and integrated early-warning systems. They proposed the creation of a National Border Guard Service to monitor unauthorized entry of people and materials. Other resolutions included establishing a Special Court for terrorism, banditry, and kidnapping trials, and publicly naming and prosecuting the financiers of terrorism.
A contentious point concerned the resolution to reduce the number of police and military personnel assigned to VIP protection. The recommendation called for the “significant reduction” and “downscaling of security details attached to political officeholders” so that released personnel could be reassigned to critical operational positions nationwide.
Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu cautioned that removing protection from officials like governors and federal justices could undermine their work and expose them to unnecessary threats. He called for a careful and deliberate definition of who truly constitutes a VIP that warrants state protection. Conversely, the Chairman of the House Committee on Police Affairs, Makki Abubakar Yalleman, defended the presidential directive to withdraw police from VIP duties, noting that all 11,566 officers previously assigned nationwide had already been reassigned to operational duties.
The House concluded by commending President Tinubu for his current security measures, including the recruitment of new police personnel and the expansion of forest guards. The resolutions will now be transmitted to the Executive, all security agencies, and the State Governments, before being sent to the Senate for concurrence.
