Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa, said yesterday there should be no negotiation with or payment of ransom to terrorists in the country.

He also said Nigeria’s fight against insecurity would remain ineffective until the country established a unified national database that captured every citizen and linked all security, banking and identity systems together.

General Musa stated these during his screening as minister by the Senate.

Musa’s screening happened on a day the House of Representatives sought open and transparent prosecution of all terrorism-related cases as an effective way of combating the high rate of violent crimes in Nigeria.

This is even as the Senate yesterday moved to tighten Nigeria’s anti-kidnapping laws by pushing for the death penalty for kidnappers and anyone financing, enabling or providing information to terrorists and kidnappers, as lawmakers debated amendments to the 2022 Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act.

No negotiation with terrorists

Speaking during his ministerial screening in Abuja, General Musa maintained a firm stance that government at all levels must enforce a total ban on ransom payments and negotiations with terrorists, warning that such actions only empower 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 ransom money could be digitally monitored, insisting that Nigeria’s banking system had the capability to trace financial flows connected to crime if fully activated.

‘Kinetic efforts alone cannot win the war’

The retired general stressed that military operations represented only 25–30 per cent of the counter-insurgency effort, adding that poverty, illiteracy, poor governance and weak local government structures continued to feed criminal activities.

He challenged state and local government administrators to take responsibility for community-level intelligence and early intervention, noting that security agencies alone could hardly shoulder the entire national burden.

Musa criticised Nigeria’s slow justice system, especially the prolonged trials for terrorism and kidnapping, saying the delays weakened morale within the armed forces.

“In some countries, terrorism cases are handled decisively. Here, cases drag for years. It discourages security forces who risk their lives to make arrests,” he said.

He recommended urgent legal reforms, including special terrorism courts, stronger penalties and accelerated hearings.

Maritime crime, cultism, illegal mining heightening threats

He raised alarm over renewed criminal activities across the maritime corridors linking Akwa Ibom to Cameroon, warning that sea robbery, piracy and coastal kidnappings were resurfacing.

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

Musa also called for a total ban on illegal mining, which he described as a major financing stream for armed groups operating in forest belts across the country.

Military checkpoints to reduce as troops return to the field
He revealed plans to withdraw soldiers from routine checkpoints nationwide to free forces for targeted operations inside forests and ungoverned spaces.

He emphasised that restoring safe access to farmlands remained a top priority, and described food security as a critical pillar of national stability.

“A hungry man is an angry man. Protecting farmers means protecting the nation,” he said.

Recruitment challenges, national expectations

Musa disclosed that while over 70,000 Nigerians apply to join the military annually, many recruits resist deployment to conflict zones.

He insisted that a unified national database would help the military verify applicants’ identities and eliminate fraud in recruitment.

On the rising public expectations following his nomination, Musa said: “I cannot afford to fail my nation or my family. Nigerians want peace, and we must deliver it.’’

Speaking further, Musa described Nigeria’s fragmented data architecture as one of the biggest obstacles to tracking criminals, dismantling networks, and preventing repeat offenders from operating freely across states.

According to him, the nation’s multiple data sitting in silos, operated separately by immigration, quarantine services and other agencies, have created dangerous gaps exploited by terrorists, kidnappers, bandits, cyber-criminals and illegal mining syndicates.

He said: “Something as simple as a unified database for all citizens is urgently needed. Not a situation where immigration has one, quarantine has another. Once you commit a crime, it should be easy to track and trace you. Other countries can instantly deactivate bank accounts or digital access; we must get to that point.”

Musa noted that integrating ICT into the security architecture would revolutionise investigations, allowing agencies to trace ransom payments, monitor suspicious transactions and profile criminal networks in real time.

Reps seek open, transparent prosecution of all terrorism-related cases

Also yesterday, the House of Representatives adopted sweeping set of national security reform resolutions, after a three-day special debate, one of which seeking open and transparent prosecution of all terrorism-related cases
The session, which brought together principal officers, zonal and regional caucus leaders, security-related committee chairmen, and all members of the House, was enriched by constituency testimonies, expert analyses and recent field assessments from troubled regions.

The resolutions among the most extensive security recommendations ever issued by the Green Chamber covered fiscal reforms, institutional restructuring, intelligence and technology upgrades, welfare improvements, judicial reforms, socio-economic interventions, and strengthened regional and international partnerships.

Lawmakers acknowledged recent steps taken by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to address Nigeria’s worsening insecurity, including the recruitment of 20,000 additional police officers, redeployment of VIP-attached personnel to core policing duties, enhanced federal support for state-level security outfits, and the use of NYSC camps as temporary training facilities.

They also commended the President for postponing his participation in the G20 Summit to focus on domestic security and for sending a high-level delegation to interface with the U.S. government on counter-terrorism collaboration.

Fiscal, institutional and operational reforms

The House resolved that all security expenditure should be placed on first line charge to ensure predictable funding, insisting that approved budgets must be promptly released.

To curb terrorism financing, lawmakers recommended a phased strengthening of the cashless economy and the expansion of secure e-banking systems across rural and underserved areas, and called for advanced digital payment monitoring tools to be integrated into national security operations without excluding vulnerable populations.

On operational strategy, the House called for a review of the military’s “super-camp” doctrine, advocating a return to forward operating bases for better territorial coverage.

It also urged the creation and expansion of Army formations, Police divisions and Civil Defence units in volatile regions.

Intelligence, technology and surveillance

The House recommended the creation of a Joint Intelligence Fusion Centre for real-time coordination and an expanded multi-agency anti-kidnap fusion cell.

Border security, it said, should be treated as a national emergency, requiring drones, biometric systems, AI-enabled analytics, satellite imaging, sensors and physical deterrents across vulnerable corridors.

Lawmakers also called for a balanced regulatory framework to combat fake news and malicious AI-generated content threatening national security, while safeguarding free expression.

A national tracking mechanism for all weapons, including a unified digital inventory and periodic audit, was also proposed.

State police, reduced VIP protection and welfare reforms

The House urged the expedited establishment of state police through constitutional amendments and recommended a drastic reduction of VIP security details, in line with presidential directives, with redeployed officers assigned to critical national duties.

It solicited massive immediate recruitment into the armed forces and security agencies, alongside improved salaries, insurance, medical care and housing for personnel.

The House’ resolutions also included public naming and prosecution of terrorism financiers; establishment of a special court for terrorism, banditry and kidnapping; harsher penalties for arms trafficking; and creation of a Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission

International cooperation and oversight

The House called for deeper collaboration with ECOWAS, the AU and neighbouring countries on border security and intelligence sharing.

It also recommended that all future security engagements between Nigeria and the U.S. including those involving Congress, must involve official parliamentary representation to ensure unified national positions and strengthened legislative diplomacy.

The House resolved that the entire set of resolutions be transmitted to the executive, all security agencies, state governments and relevant institutions for urgent implementation in the interest of national stability.

The resolutions were also expected to be forwarded to the Senate for concurrence as unified resolutions of the National Assembly.

Reacting to Reps’ call for open and transparent trial of terrorists, human rights lawyer and Executive Director, Cadrell Advocacy Centre, Evans Ufeli, said: “First, the terrorists themselves are not embarrassed. If the idea of an open trial is to shame them or expose their faces, it won’t work.

‘’They already show their faces freely on TikTok and other platforms, even posting videos and doing giveaways. They are not asham-ed. So an open trial will not demean them in any way.

“The real concern is with witnesses. Many will be reluctant to testify because they can be easily identified and targeted by gang members who are not on trial. Unless the court protects their identities by shielding their faces and altering their voices, they may be attacked afterwards. If such protective measures are put in place, then it makes sense.

“If witnesses’ identities are covered and their voices distorted to guard against attacks, then an open trial is fine. I am indifferent to whether the proceedings are open or not; courts are already public. Televising the trial will not change anything or stop terrorism, because the perpetrators are not hiding. With proper witness protection, I have no objection.”

Another human rights lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, said: “I think that the Reps are not serious because many of them are not sincere. It is a known fact that some politicians hold meetings with terrorists in their constituencies.

‘’Did you not see the recent video of a local government chairman in one of the northern states holding discussions with terrorists? There is no genuine commitment on the part of the government to confront this problem. The Reps are simply unserious. Is it an open trial that will solve the problem?

“There is too much romance with terrorists in Nigeria. The only time you feel the presence of security agencies is when people call for a protest. Once there is a call for protest, that is when you suddenly see the full weight of the Nigerian security apparatus.

‘’But when it concerns actual public safety and national security, everything becomes business as usual. Security has been commercialised.

“I saw one senator recently calling on the President to remove Nuhu Ribadu and appoint an ex-General as NSA. Is that what will solve Nigeria’s problems? This wave of insecurity did not start today. ‘’Was it not under Buhari that insecurity became entrenched? Large parts of the country were practically conceded to terrorists. The Abuja–Kaduna expressway was overrun. Katsina, his home state, witnessed attacks, including the attempted breach of the President’s convoy. Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Katsina and Jigawa were heavily infiltrated by bandits and terrorists.”

However, Effiong Inibehe, another lawyer, who was in support of open trial, said:
‘’Yes, I support an open trial for terrorism suspects. I believe those who have inflicted such harm on Nigerians should not be shielded. An open trial will encourage transparency in prosecution.

‘’I see no reason these cases should be conducted in camera. Whatever needs to be said should be said publicly. It will give victims a sense of justice.

‘’Many of these proceedings are currently done secretly, often inside detention facilities, and I am against that. So I fully endorse the position of the House of Representatives.

‘’As for concerns about witness protection, witnesses can be masked and their identities shielded.

Trials should remain open, but there should also be a witness protection programme. Access can still be granted while ensuring witnesses are protected through masking, voice alteration, or any other safeguards required.’’

Senate backs death penalty for kidnappers, financiers, informants, others
Meanwhile, the Senate has moved to tighten Nigeria’s anti-kidnapping laws by pushing for the death penalty for kidnappers — and anyone who finances, enables, or provides information to them — as lawmakers debated amendments to the 2022 Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act.

The proposal, sponsored by the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, seeks to classify kidnapping, hostage-taking, and related crimes as terrorism, giving security agencies wider powers to track, disrupt, and prosecute criminal networks across the country.

The debate dominated yesterday’s plenary, drawing contributions from key senators including Senators Orji Uzor Kalu, APC, Abia North; Adams Oshiomhole, APC, Edo North; and Minority Leader, Abba Moro, PDP, Benue South.

After exhaustive debates across the political divides, the Senate, presided over by the President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, unanimously approved amendments to the he Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act as proposed by the Senate Leader.

Consequently, Akpabio referred the bill to the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Committee on National Security and Intelligence as well as the Committee on Interior for further legislative action and report in two weeks.

Akpabio noted that the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters would be the lead committee.

Leading debate on the bill, Bamidele said the purpose was to “designate kidnapping, hostage-taking and related offences as acts of terrorism and prescribe the death penalty for such offences without option of fine or alternative sentence.”

The Majority Leader, who warned that kidnapping had evolved into coordinated, commercialised and militarised acts of violence perpetrated by organised criminal groups, said: “Kidnapping has instilled widespread fear in communities; undermined national economic activities and agricultural output; interrupted children’s education; bankrupted families forced to pay ransom; overstretched our security forces, and claimed countless innocent lives.’’

According to him, the patterns of brutality associated with kidnapping “now carry all the characteristics of terrorism,” making it necessary to treat the offence under the counter-terrorism framework.

“Nigerians are kidnapped on highways, in schools, in homes, on farms and in markets,” he said. “This is not a mere crime. It is terrorism in its purest form,’’ he said.

Throwing his weight behind the amendment, Senator Adams Oshiomhole criticised deradicalisation programmes for terror suspects, arguing that many offenders returned to crime.

“We should not continue with deradicalisation programmes again. No more de-radicalisation. If you are caught and convicted for acts of terrorism, then the penalty should be death,’’ he said.

On his part, Senator Orji Kalu also supported the bill, insisting that informants and sponsors of kidnappers must face the consequence.

He said: “Nigerians have suffered in the hands of kidnappers. Young girls have been raped. Women have become widows for no reason. This must not continue.’’