Former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has congratulated General Christopher Gwabin Musa on his appointment as Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, while cautioning that the Federal Government is struggling to contain the country’s worsening insecurity.
In a statement on Monday, Kwankwaso lauded the new minister, expressing confidence in his ability to restore stability.
“Finally, I wish to sincerely congratulate General Christopher Gwabin Musa on his well-deserved appointment as Minister of Defence. I am confident that, with the necessary political will and support, he possesses the competence and experience to make a significant difference in restoring security and stability to our nation,” he said.
However, the former governor noted that recent developments reveal deep national challenges. He expressed concern that the Federal Government appears “overwhelmed” and unable to respond effectively to the security crisis.
“This is evident in its tacit endorsement to allow state governments to establish and deploy vigilante security outfits with little or no professional training. Such a policy, however well-intentioned, has inadvertently facilitated the uncontrolled proliferation of small arms and light weapons across the country,” Kwankwaso said.
He warned that the situation has created opportunities for dangerous opportunism.
“Worst of all, individuals have begun taking advantage of this by setting up their militias, like we are seeing in the actions of some political elements. Such action further threatens the fragile peace in our country,” he added.
Kwankwaso also condemned rising ethnic profiling and harassment of citizens, noting disturbing reports of individuals arbitrarily targeted, harassed, arrested, and sometimes tortured across different regions.
“This is compounded by the growing harassment, intimidation, and hate speech on social media, often fueled by ethnic and religious jingoism. These trends pose a grave threat to national unity and cohesion,” he said.
Urging urgent intervention, Kwankwaso emphasized, “The Federal Government must act decisively and without delay to reverse these dangerous developments before they spiral further out of control.”
As a former Minister of Defence and former Chairman of the Committee on the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, Kwankwaso expressed particular concern about the spread of weapons in the country.
His remarks come amid recent initiatives by Southern and Northern state governments to strengthen regional security. In Southwestern Nigeria, for instance, the state governments have formally recognised local security outfits such as Amotekun, aiming to curb the rising tide of kidnappings, banditry, and killings.
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