The Senate has confirmed the appointment of former Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa (retd.), as Nigeria’s Minister of Defence following a rigorous five-hour screening session marked by heated exchanges and tense moments on the floor of the upper chamber.
Tension rose earlier in the proceedings when some lawmakers attempted to end the screening prematurely by asking the nominee to “take a bow and go.” Senator Sani Musa of Niger East argued that the former service chief had earned such privilege through his distinguished service. However, several senators strongly opposed the proposal, insisting that the nation’s deteriorating security situation required a thorough and transparent interrogation of the nominee’s plans and capabilities.
The disagreement briefly threw the chamber into disorder, with senators standing in protest and calling for a more robust engagement. Order was eventually restored after the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, rose to his feet—an action traditionally understood as a call for calm and collective responsibility. Akpabio reminded his colleagues that Nigerians were watching and deserved credible assurances that those entrusted with national security were fully prepared for the task ahead.
The Senate President also directed General Musa to address concerns over the recent withdrawal of soldiers from a school in Kebbi State shortly before the abduction of schoolgirls, a development that has attracted widespread public criticism.
Responding to the lawmakers’ questions, General Musa expressed deep concern over Nigeria’s persistent security challenges, describing the situation as “deeply troubling.” He underscored the urgency of reinforcing the Safe Schools Initiative, warning that many learning institutions remained inadequately protected and vulnerable to attacks.
General Musa advocated a whole-of-society approach to security—one that integrates community participation, technology-driven surveillance, and coordinated operational strategies. He also stressed the need to strengthen accountability structures within the armed forces and improve collaboration among Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, many of which he said were not functioning at their optimal capacity.
Given the transnational nature of terrorism and organised crime, the nominee called for stronger cooperation with neighbouring countries to prevent Nigeria from becoming increasingly exposed to cross-border threats. He warned that criminal groups often perceive Nigeria as a lucrative target, emphasising the importance of a zero-tolerance stance against terrorism and banditry, built on robust local and regional partnerships.
General Musa further noted that several national laws were outdated and required urgent review. He identified unregulated mining as a major revenue source for criminal networks and recommended adopting advanced monitoring technologies to track and dismantle these illegal operations.