Senate President Godswill Akpabio on Wednesday said even the President of the United States, Donald Trump, is putting pressure on Nigeria over worsening insecurity, insisting that the Senate must subject Minister of Defence–nominee and former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa (retd.), to full screening.
Akpabio made the remark during a rowdy session in the Senate after some lawmakers proposed that Musa, who was screened in 2023 as CDS, should simply “take a bow and go.”
But Akpabio rejected the move, stressing that Nigerians deserved to hear directly from the nominee at a time when hundreds of schoolchildren remain in captivity.
“Our constituents will like to hear from him,” Akpabio said. “This is not a period we should say bow and go. Even Donald Trump is on our neck. With over 200 children in the bush being tortured, give the man an opportunity to give Nigerians hope.”
Senator Sani Musa (Niger East) had proposed that the nominee be allowed to bow and go, prompting mixed reactions from other senators. Senator Garba Maidoki (Kebbi South) insisted the nominee must answer questions. Order was eventually restored, and the screening proceeded.
After nearly five hours of interrogation, the Senate unanimously confirmed Musa as Minister of Defence.
Musa: No More Ransom Payments — Criminals Use It to Buy Arms
During the screening, Musa assured the Senate of his readiness to confront Nigeria’s security problems and called for an end to ransom payments.
“There should be no negotiation with criminals,” he said. “If you negotiate with them, they will never abide by it. They use the money to buy more arms.”
He also called for:
A unified national security database
Stronger roles for local and state governments
Legal reforms to support security operations
Thorough recruitment processes into the armed forces
Musa argued that a solely military approach will not resolve Nigeria’s insecurity.
“One mistake we make is thinking the armed forces can solve all the problems,” he said. “The military solution is only 20 to 25 per cent. Effective policy and multi-agency support are essential.”
On allegations of religiously targeted attacks, he said terrorism is indiscriminate:
“We are all victims. Everybody is being killed. These are evil people who kill indiscriminately.”
Akpabio commended Musa’s presentation, saying, “I have not seen any nominee answer all questions so thoroughly since 1999.”
School Abductions: Crime Is Localised, Communities Must Be First Responders — Musa
Earlier in the screening, Musa condemned the rising spate of student kidnappings, saying many schools remain unsecured despite the Safe School Initiative.
“Most schools have been built, but when you visit them, there is no perimeter fence. They are left exposed,” he said.
He highlighted slow information flow between communities and security agencies as a major problem.
“A whole-of-society approach is needed — technology, the armed forces, the police, and communities working together,” he stated.
President Bola Tinubu, in his nomination letter, said Musa would help “strengthen Nigeria’s security framework” following the resignation of former Defence Minister Mohammed Badaru.
Senate Begins Probe of Safe School Initiative
Meanwhile, the Senate has launched a comprehensive investigation into the Safe School Initiative (SSI), raising concerns that despite billions allocated to the programme, schools remain vulnerable.
Chairman of the Senate Ad-hoc Committee and former Abia State Governor, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, noted that over 1,680 schoolchildren have been kidnapped and 180 schools attacked since 2014.
“It is unacceptable that our schools remain soft targets,” he said.
“We will track every naira and every dollar allocated to the Safe School Initiative. Nigerians deserve to know why our schools remain unsafe.”
The committee will conduct a full financial and operational audit, examining:
How funds allocated since 2014 were utilised
Effectiveness of deployed security personnel
Emergency response systems
Infrastructure upgrades in vulnerable schools
Partnerships with donors and private-sector contributors
Kalu stressed that the probe is not a witch-hunt but an accountability exercise.
“We owe Nigerian parents the responsibility to ensure their children can learn without fear.”
The probe follows the recent abduction of 25 female students of Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, in Kebbi State, where bandits also killed the school’s vice principal.
Lawmakers expressed outrage over the incident, with Senator Yahaya Abdullahi (Kebbi North) calling it “a dirty slap on the face of the nation.”
Former Senate President Ahmad Lawan demanded a full audit of funds released for school security.
The 18-member ad hoc committee has four weeks to submit its report.
The Safe School Initiative, launched in 2014 after the Chibok abduction, has received:
$10 million initial funding
Over $30 million raised between 2014–2021
₦144 billion allocated from 2023–2026
Yet insecurity in schools has escalated, prompting renewed scrutiny.
Kalu reiterated: “Our goal is simple — to make Nigerian schools safe, secure, and conducive for learning. Nothing short of genuine accountability will suffice.”
