Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (retd.), has stirred nationwide debate after awarding the administration of President Bola Tinubu a 65 to 70 per cent performance score on security, despite persistent attacks, kidnappings and banditry across parts of the country.

Musa gave the assessment during an interview on ARISE News on Friday while reflecting on the administration’s three years in office.

The Minister argued that Nigeria had recorded significant gains against terrorism and insurgency.

He insisted that the overall security situation had improved compared to previous years.

“I’ll give ourselves 65 to 70 per cent. No nation is totally free from crime and criminality. The level of terrorism across the country has actually drastically reduced”, Musa said during the interview.

His comments, however, immediately triggered criticism on social media, with many Nigerians questioning how the government could score itself highly amid continuing abductions, killings and attacks reported in several states.

Some critics pointed to recent incidents in parts of Borno, Kebbi, Plateau and Oyo states.

They argued that insecurity remained a daily reality for many citizens.

Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, said the government’s assessment did not align with the experiences of ordinary Nigerians.

“The reality Nigerians face daily does not reflect this performance rating. Security is still collapsing in many parts of the country,” he wrote on X.

Journalist David Hundeyin also faulted the minister’s remarks.

He said the communities across the country were still battling frequent kidnappings and ransom demands.

“You cannot be scoring yourself 70 per cent when children are still being abducted from schools and communities are paying ransom weekly,” he said.

Another user, Imran Muhammed, questioned why many parents in some troubled regions still fear sending their children to school if insecurity had truly reduced.

“Did this man understand the meaning of percentage?” Amin Magaji asked, while Urulor Patrick dismissed the assessment with a terse, “How? Oga pack well.”

Alhaji Musa Zekeri also questioned the minister’s position, when he wrote “Can you hear your overrated Christopher?”

Others accused the Defence Minister of abandoning professional objectivity in favour of politics.

“And we had high hopes until he wore the Asiwaju cap. We knew his reasoning was gone and now here it is evident,” Dannie Nnaemeka Anih wrote.

Musa Yakubu suggested that political interests may have influenced the assessment, claiming that “there is more money on the table for share.”

Adebisi Segun argued that public officials often resort to self-praise when confronted with poor performance.

One of the strongest criticisms came from Akintulerewa Victor Alaba, who expressed disappointment with the minister’s handling of security challenges.

“Nigerians were seriously disappointed about this man. He has not acted professionally but like a politician. With the stories of kidnapping and no visible technological steps to rescue victims, there is no way forward to show he is working on solutions,” he wrote.

Emmanuel Ennih described the reaction as another example of how politics can transform public figures.

“Nigeria politics will convert a saint into the devil himself. Fear Naija politics,” he said.

Some commenters argued that political loyalty may have shaped public support for the Minister’s position.

“If you no support Tinubu, work end for you,” Olowu Elijah wrote, while Adeola Adigun dismissed the score entirely, saying the government’s security performance deserved “01 per cent.”

Raymond Duru maintained that insecurity had worsened rather than improved.

“This man was really overrated. Insecurity is currently worse than before,” he wrote.

Others responded with sarcasm. “Clap for yourself,” Anya Sunday Stefano posted, while Saida Saidu simply described the minister’s claims as “story for the ghost.”

Despite the criticism, supporters of the administration defended the minister’s position, insisting that the military had made measurable progress against insurgents and armed groups, especially in the North-East.

Security analyst Zagazola Makama said terror groups had lost territories and several commanders had been eliminated through sustained military operations.

“There is progress, though challenges remain,” he stated.

Former Aviation Minister Femi Fani-Kayode also backed the Armed Forces, saying security personnel were operating under extremely difficult conditions.

“The Armed Forces have done well under difficult circumstances. Critics ignore the complexities of asymmetric warfare,” he said.

In defending the government’s position, Musa maintained that the country was confronting a complex security challenge driven partly by internal social decay and economic desperation.

According to him, kidnappings and related crimes were increasingly being carried out by people within local communities, making intelligence gathering more difficult.

“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”, the minister said.

He blamed the persistence of kidnapping on what he described as a growing obsession with quick wealth and shortcuts to success.

“People need to understand that to make money, you must work very hard. Don’t look for shortcuts,” he added.

Musa also disclosed that Nigerian security forces recently carried out a covert operation that led to the killing of a deputy ISIS commander after months of intelligence tracking.

According to him, Nigeria’s counter-terrorism operations are receiving stronger international backing from countries including the United States, Britain, France, Brazil, and Turkey.

He warned that failing to decisively tackle terrorism could create long-term consequences for the country, citing Turkey’s decades-long struggle with insurgency as an example.

The latest remarks have again placed the Tinubu administration’s security record under public scrutiny as Nigerians continue to demand stronger action against terrorism, kidnapping and banditry nationwide. (Weekend Trust)

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