Nigeria defence minister urges public aid on kidnappings

The Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, has called for greater public cooperation with security forces to combat ongoing kidnappings and insecurity, while asserting that terrorism has significantly decreased across Nigeria. He made the remarks during a public appearance in Kaduna State and in a subsequent television interview over the weekend.

Speaking at the Southern Kaduna Festival in Kafanchan, Musa urged citizens to provide credible intelligence to help security agencies identify and neutralize criminal elements. He directly addressed families of kidnapping victims, assuring them that efforts to secure the release of those held captive are ongoing. The minister stressed that sustainable peace requires active community participation and unity.

His comments followed a recent appeal by a kidnapped school vice principal in Oyo State, who called for negotiations with captors after pupils and teachers were abducted in coordinated school attacks. Musa did not comment on specific cases but emphasized that security forces are committed to protecting the nation and creating a secure environment for citizens.

In a separate television interview, Musa provided an assessment of the...