Nigeria's Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, has recently claimed that terrorists have been defeated, a statement that has been met with skepticism. The minister's assertion comes amidst a surge in terrorist attacks and mass abductions across the country. President Bola Tinubu has been holding periodic meetings with service chiefs to address the security breaches, which has led to questions about the minister's claim of a terrorist defeat.
On August 21, mass abductions occurred during an attack on mosques and villages in Borgu, Niger State, with about 500 people kidnapped. The president ordered the military and other security personnel to move to the area to rescue the victims. Five communities were razed during the attack, leaving residents without homes or livelihoods. A resident lamented the destruction, saying, "They burnt all the houses there. They didn’t leave anything for us."
The minister's claim of a terrorist defeat is also contradicted by recent attacks in Adamawa State, where Boko Haram fighters raided a village and killed 11 people. Many communities in the state have been under attack by insurgents this year. In early September, terrorists attempted to seize a military base of Operation Hadin Kai in Pulka, Gwarzo Local Government Area of Borno State. These attacks demonstrate that terrorism remains a significant threat in Nigeria.
In March, dead bodies littered Ngoshe during a four-day sustained terrorist attack, with disturbing casualties among soldiers. The Joint Task Force in the area reported that military positions were targeted, and several brave soldiers paid the supreme price in the line of duty. These gory narratives put a lie to the minister's claim that terrorists are no longer a threat.
Nigeria's ranking in the May 2026 Global Terrorism Index (GTI) also contradicts the minister's claim. The country was ranked 4th out of 153 countries, indicating that terrorism remains a significant challenge. Getting out of this quagmire will not be achieved through wishful thinking, but rather through a comprehensive approach that addresses the root causes of terrorism.
The minister's posturing has been compared to that of the Muhammadu Buhari regime, which claimed that terrorists had been technically degraded. However, the weakened insurgents were still able to ambush the president's convoy in Niger State, and bring down a military helicopter on a casualty evacuation mission. These incidents demonstrate that terrorism remains a potent threat in Nigeria.
The Chief of Defence Staff, General Musa, had previously emphasized that a kinetic approach alone would not defeat terrorism in Nigeria. He stressed that it required a 30 to 70 per cent ratio of firepower and good governance to contain the scourge effectively. With the current situation, it remains to be seen whether the government has made significant progress in addressing the socio-economic challenges that compound Nigeria's insecurity challenge.
Key points
- The minister's claim of a terrorist defeat is premature and contradicted by recent attacks and mass abductions.
- Nigeria's ranking in the Global Terrorism Index indicates that terrorism remains a significant challenge.
- A comprehensive approach that addresses the root causes of terrorism is needed to defeat the scourge.
