Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, rated the country’s security performance between 65 and 70 percent on Friday, telling Arise Television that terrorism had declined significantly even as kidnapping cases continue across multiple states.
Musa said no nation is completely free from crime and criminality, but acknowledged that while acts of terrorism and kidnapping still occur, the situation has improved significantly compared to previous years.
The minister’s assessment arrives against a difficult backdrop. A wave of school abductions across several states continues to pose a major challenge, with troops of the 12 Brigade conducting coordinated rescue operations as recently as 6 May 2026 under Operation Tiger Paw II.
Musa attributed many of the security challenges to the breakdown of family values and poor social orientation, saying many individuals involved in kidnapping and other crimes were seeking quick ways to make money rather than embracing hard work.
He also raised the possibility that some criminal activity was politically driven, suggesting certain kidnappings appeared designed to embarrass the government rather than extract genuine ransoms.
“The level of terrorism across the country has actually drastically reduced,” Musa said.
The minister also credited growing civilian cooperation with security forces, describing the level of public support as markedly better than in previous years.
Security analysts note that meaningful improvements in Nigeria’s security architecture often take time, given the overlapping threats the country faces — from insurgency in the northeast to banditry in the northwest and separatist tensions in the southeast.
