By Gloria Attah
Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (rtd), has rated the Bola Tinubu administration between 65 and 70 per cent on security performance, insisting that the government has significantly reduced terrorism across the country despite rising kidnappings, school abductions, and other security threats.
Musa spoke on ARISE News on Friday as the Tinubu administration marked its third anniversary in office. He said Nigeria had made major progress in the fight against insurgency and violent extremism.
“I’ll give ourselves 65 to 70 per cent,” he said while assessing the administration’s security performance.
“No nation is totally free from crime and criminality. I’m sure you are aware that the level of terrorism across the country has drastically reduced. Now we have acts of terrorism, and terrorism, like I said, is a social vice, a failure of family values,” he added.
Kidnapping a Societal Problem Rather Than a Security failure
The minister described kidnapping as a societal problem rather than purely a security failure, blaming the trend on the collapse of moral and family values.
“We have fathers kidnapping children, children kidnapping each other, brothers kidnapping sisters. It tells you that something is wrong with the family, and we need to look inward to see how we can develop those aspects,” he said.
Musa also urged Nigerians to reject the culture of quick wealth, saying greed drives many kidnapping cases across the country.
“People need to understand that to make money, you must work very hard. Don’t look for shortcuts. Most of those taking part in kidnappings and related crimes are looking for shortcuts,” he said.
Fresh School Abductions Raise Concerns
The minister’s comments come barely two weeks after fresh school abductions rocked Borno and Oyo states causing widespread public outcry.
On May 13 and 15, armed groups carried out separate attacks in the two states, abducting at least 82 pupils and teachers.
In Borno State, gunmen attacked schools in Askira Uba and Chibok local government areas and kidnapped 42 pupils on May 13 and 14.
In Oyo State, gunmen abducted another 40 pupils during coordinated attacks on Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota, Community Grammar School, and L.A. Primary School, Esiele, in Oriire Local Government Area.
The school’s vice principal and a motorcyclist was killed during the attack. The assailants later on released a video of the gruesome killing and beheading of a mathematics teacher, Michael Oyedokun while in captivity. A security operative was also killed by IED explosion during early rescue attempts.
The Defence Headquarters later linked the Oyo attack to members of the Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS) group displaced by ongoing military operations in other parts of the country.
Following the Borno attack, the state government temporarily shut down and relocated Government Day Secondary School, Mussa, in Askira/Uba Local Government Area.
School Kidnappings Continue Under Tinubu Administration
Amnesty International recently disclosed that kidnappers abducted at least 1,100 people between January and April 2026 alone, describing the trend as evidence of continued failure to protect vulnerable communities.
Since President Bola Tinubu assumed office on May 29, 2023, Nigeria has recorded at least nine major mass school abductions involving about 551 students and school workers, according to 2024 data compiled by PREMIUM TIMES.
The latest attacks in Oyo and Borno add to a growing list of school-related kidnappings across the country.
In April, gunmen abducted 23 pupils and the wife of a school proprietor during an attack on an orphanage and school facility in Zariagi, Lokoja, Kogi State.
Troops of the 12 Brigade, Nigerian Army, later rescued the remaining nine victims during Operation Tiger Paw II on May 6, 2026.
Nigeria also witnessed another spike in mass abductions in November 2025 when kidnappers seized at least 145 people across Kebbi, Niger, and Zamfara states within four days.
During one of the attacks, bandits stormed a government secondary school in Maga, Kebbi State, killed the vice principal, and abducted 25 schoolgirls from their hostel.
Military Highlights Counter-Terrorism Successes
Musa pointed to a recent covert military operation as proof of improved operational capacity within the armed forces.
He said Nigerian troops tracked and eliminated a deputy ISIS commander after months of intelligence gathering and surveillance.
“The recent killing of that deputy ISIS commander was a painstaking operation that began since last year. We followed through, ensured we were certain of our target, and when we struck, we got them. That is what we are doing,” he said.
The minister also praised Nigerians for supporting security agencies with intelligence and cooperation.
“The level of support we’re getting is far better than it used to be, and we’re making more inroads. Nigerians are working with us, and I want to appreciate them,” he added.
Nigeria Expands Global Security Partnerships
Musa said Nigeria had strengthened military partnerships with countries including the United States, Britain, France, Brazil, and Turkey to improve its counter-terrorism operations.
“We are working with our partners, the Americans, the British, the French. All of them want Nigeria to succeed. They are bringing platforms we don’t have, and we are working together,” he said.
The minister warned that allowing terrorism to take root could create long-term national instability, citing Turkey’s decades-long battle against insurgency as an example.
“Do not allow asymmetric warfare to commence. Do not allow acts of terrorism to take root, it is extremely difficult to reverse. Look at Turkey. It took them 40 years, and it is only now that they are getting over it,” Musa said.
“We are learning from them, partnering with them, developing our special forces, and getting experience. We are also working with the French and the Brazilians. Everyone is putting hands on deck to ensure we achieve success.”
