RismadarVoice Reporters
February 1, 2026
The Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (retd.), has called on Nigerians to refuse bandits, kidnappers, and terrorists any form of safe haven, stressing that public cooperation is critical to ending insecurity in the country.
Speaking at the seventh Our Nigeria News Award ceremony in Abuja on Saturday, Musa warned that criminal groups thrive when communities provide shelter, food, or remain silent, whether knowingly or unknowingly. He urged citizens to report suspicious activities promptly.
“This is a modern kind of warfare. Asymmetric warfare is not easy; it is not like conventional warfare, where you are fighting another country. In asymmetric warfare, the enemy is within; that is why it is the most dangerous. You cannot see it on a person’s face; it could be someone you think is your friend. You turn your back, and he shoots you from behind. That is why it is important that people do not give criminals any safe haven. If you see anyone committing a crime, whether a bandit, kidnapper, terrorist, or insurgent, please report it promptly, then action will be taken,” he said.
Gen. Musa also thanked Nigerians for their continued support and perseverance, appealing to them not to tire or give up on the country. He highlighted the Federal Government’s efforts, under President Bola Tinubu, to restore peace, including the strengthening of international security partnerships.
“We are getting there; it’s improving by the day. We all need to put our hands together to make sure it works. It is a whole-of-society approach to peace, and we are heading in the right direction. We recently returned from Turkey, where we signed some agreements aimed at improving security and peace in Nigeria,” he stated.
Earlier in the event, the publisher of Our Nigeria News Magazine, Abubakar Sani, explained that the awards were established to recognize integrity, credibility, outstanding contributions to national development. He noted that awardees and dignitaries travelled from countries including South Africa and Liberia to attend the ceremony.
Sani emphasized that the awards were non-monetary, intended to encourage recipients to continue excelling in their respective fields, with plans to expand the initiative in the future, potentially including cash donations to increase impact.
