Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (retd.), has given the administration of President Bola Tinubu a security performance rating of between 65 and 70 per cent, describing the score as a reflection of measurable progress made in the fight against terrorism and insecurity since the president assumed office three years ago.

Musa made the assessment during an interview on ARISE News on Friday, to mark the third anniversary of the Tinubu administration. When the show host, Oji Okpe, pressed him to give a score that Nigerians would agree with, the minister did not hesitate. “I’ll give ourselves 65 to 70,” he said plainly. “Yes. 65 to 70%. No nation is totally free from crime and criminality. I’m sure you are aware that the level of terrorism across the country has actually drastically reduced.”

The minister argued that what now remains of the country’s security challenge is largely a collection of isolated soft-target incidents, particularly kidnappings, which he attributed to greed and a collapse of societal values rather than organised terrorism. “People need to understand that to make money, you must work very hard. Don’t look for shortcuts. Most of those taking part in kidnappings and related crimes are looking for shortcuts,” Musa said.

He described insecurity as fundamentally a social vice and a failure of family values, stressing that the challenge cannot be resolved by the government alone and that all Nigerians must work together to defeat it.

As evidence of growing military capability, Musa cited a recent covert operation in which Nigerian security forces successfully eliminated a deputy ISIS commander following months of intelligence tracking and careful surveillance. He also praised the improved cooperation between civilians and the security forces, describing the public support as a significant operational advantage. The minister further noted that Nigeria is deepening partnerships with international allies, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Brazil, and Turkey, in building special forces capacity and sharing experience.

However, the minister’s comments have drawn sharp public backlash, particularly given the alarming rate of abductions recorded in recent months. Amnesty International reported that at least 1,100 people were abducted across Nigeria between January and April 2026 alone, branding it a persistent failure to protect vulnerable groups. In November 2025, no fewer than 145 people were kidnapped across Kebbi, Niger, and Zamfara states within a four-day period.

Among the most troubling incidents was a raid on a government secondary school in Maga, Kebbi State, in which bandits killed the vice principal and abducted 25 schoolgirls from their hostel. Critics on social media were quick to challenge the minister’s 70 per cent rating, pointing to the near-constant wave of school abductions as proof that the score was far too generous.

Notwithstanding the controversy, Musa maintained that the Tinubu administration deserves a pass mark for its security record, insisting that the country is on the right track and that the military is making consistent inroads against criminal networks and remnants of insurgent groups across the country.