Nigeria’s Defence Minister, General Christopher Musa, has raised concerns over the recurring increase in insecurity around election periods, urging Nigerians to question whether political interests may be contributing to the trend.
Musa made the remarks while discussing Nigeria’s security challenges, political developments and the country’s defence expenditure.
According to the Defence Minister, the apparent rise in insecurity whenever elections approach deserves closer scrutiny. He questioned whether the situation could be politically motivated or deliberately amplified to create the impression that the government is failing in its responsibility to protect citizens.
“How come anytime there is going to be an election there seems to be a spike in insecurity?” Musa asked, urging Nigerians to critically examine the pattern.
He also suggested that some actors may be attempting to exploit security concerns and public sentiments for political purposes.
On the reported coup attempt involving President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Musa maintained that the threat was genuine and that there was an actual plan to overthrow the government.
“The coup was real, they actually wanted to do it,” the Defence Minister said.
Musa also spoke about political developments in Kaduna State, where he praised Governor Uba Sani for what he described as efforts to address divisions inherited from the administration of former Governor Nasir El-Rufai.
The minister alleged that the previous administration contributed to deep divisions within the state, while arguing that the current government had worked to reverse the situation.
“We can never be happy with somebody who has deliberately planned for the killing of our people,” Musa said, referring to El-Rufai.
Despite the political contest expected ahead of the 2027 elections, Musa expressed confidence in the All Progressives Congress (APC), predicting that the party would retain its dominance in Kaduna State.
“APC will win in Kaduna, that I know, in presidential, governorship, and all levels,” he stated.
On the fight against terrorism, Musa highlighted the enormous geographical size of Sambisa Forest, a long-standing hideout and operational area for insurgents in northeastern Nigeria.
He said the forest is comparable in size to Belgium, stressing that the scale of the territory makes military operations against terrorists particularly challenging.
According to him, public discussions about the military’s efforts in the area sometimes create the impression that security forces are dealing with a relatively small location when, in reality, the operational environment is vast and difficult.
The Defence Minister also appealed to state governors to reconsider the distribution of motorcycles as palliatives, warning that such items could eventually be diverted to terrorists.
Musa argued that motorcycles can provide criminals and insurgents with mobility, potentially undermining ongoing security operations.
Musa Explains Nigeria’s N5.41 Trillion Defence Budget
The minister also defended the size of Nigeria’s defence allocation in the 2026 budget, following questions over how the N5.41 trillion earmarked for defence would be spent.
Musa pointed to the high cost of modern military equipment, particularly precision weapons and other sophisticated systems used in contemporary warfare.
He explained that when the defence allocation is converted to US dollars and compared with the cost of advanced military hardware, the amount becomes more understandable.
Using missiles and precision drone bombs as examples, Musa noted that a single Tomahawk missile could cost millions of dollars, while even some precision drone munitions can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.
He stressed that such expenses accumulate rapidly during military operations, especially when weapons are deployed repeatedly against terrorist targets.
The minister’s comments highlight the financial demands of modern counterterrorism operations, where Nigeria must invest heavily in intelligence, surveillance, aircraft, drones, ammunition, logistics, personnel and other military capabilities.
As Nigeria approaches another major election cycle, Musa’s remarks have also placed renewed attention on the relationship between politics, insecurity and national defence.
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His statements are likely to fuel further debate over the causes of election-period insecurity, the military’s counterterrorism strategy and whether Nigeria’s growing defence budget is sufficient to address the country’s complex security challenges.
