Security forces aren’t enemies of state – Defence Minister

Defence Minister General Christopher Musa (rtd) has clarified that Nigeria’s security forces are not enemies of the state, urging citizens to back and cooperate with government initiatives aimed at reducing insecurity.

Speaking as a guest on the June 12, 2026 edition of The Platform in Lagos, Musa emphasized that violence and instability affect everyone in the country, including the security forces themselves. He called for public support of the military and other security agencies as essential to improving safety.

“The security forces are not the enemies of the state. In fact, what I always say is that we are all victims,” he said.

“As a commander, I had the privilege of leading the theater Operation Hadin Kai for 19 months, and the worst thing that could ever happen to you is having to meet the families of those who have passed on, who were killed, to explain to them what happened to their children, to their wards, or to see those whose limbs have been lost because the vehicles they were riding went through Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs, which has taken their limbs.”

“So, I want to appeal to Nigerians that as long as these individuals are sacrificing themselves, we have a country to protect. We must honour them, we must support them, we must give them everything that will keep them going, and together with the support of citizens, so much can be achieved, and I can assure you that,” he added.

Musa framed the fight against insecurity as a shared responsibility, stressing that cooperation between citizens and security institutions is critical to sustaining operations and protecting communities.

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