“No more negotiation, ransom payment to terrorists” – Defence Minister, Gen Musa

Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa, has declared that the government will no longer negotiate with terrorists or pay ransom for kidnapped victims.

He also emphasized the urgent need for a unified national database to strengthen Nigeria’s fight against insecurity.

Government Must Ban Ransom Payments

Speaking during his ministerial screening by the Senate in Abuja, Gen. Musa warned that paying ransom only emboldens criminals.

“There is no negotiation with any criminal. When people pay ransoms, it buys terrorists time to regroup, re-arm, and plan new attacks. Communities that negotiated still got attacked later,” he said.

He added that the country’s banking system is capable of tracing financial flows linked to criminal activities if fully activated.

Military Efforts Alone Are Not Enough

The retired general stressed that military operations account for only 25–30 percent of counter-insurgency efforts.

He pointed to poverty, illiteracy, weak governance, and ineffective local government structures as major drivers of criminality.

Gen. Musa urged state and local authorities to take responsibility for community-level intelligence, noting that security agencies cannot tackle insecurity alone.

Legal Reforms Urgently Needed

Gen. Musa criticized the slow pace of the justice system, highlighting delayed terrorism and kidnapping trials that weaken security forces’ morale.

He called for special terrorism courts, stronger penalties, and faster hearings to ensure timely prosecution of criminals.

Meanwhile, the Senate moved to amend the 2022 Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, proposing the death penalty for kidnappers and anyone financing or assisting terrorists.

Rising Maritime and Environmental Threats

The Defence Minister raised concerns over a resurgence of maritime crimes, including piracy, sea robbery, and coastal kidnappings along the Akwa Ibom–Cameroon corridor.

He confirmed that Operation Delta Safe had been expanded to cover previously quiet areas now facing infiltration.

Gen. Musa also called for a total ban on illegal mining, describing it as a major source of funding for armed groups operating in forest belts across the country.