The Honourable Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa (rtd.), has warned that insecurity will continue to undermine Nigeria’s peace and stability as long as individuals and communities provide cover for bandits, terrorists and other criminal elements.
Musa made the remarks on Saturday night in Abuja at the 7th OurNigeria News Awards, themed “Resilience and Renewal.”
According to the minister, Nigeria is grappling with a complex form of modern conflict that cannot be resolved through military action alone, stressing that public cooperation remains vital to defeating criminality.
“This is asymmetric warfare. It is not like conventional warfare where you are fighting another country. In this case, the enemy is within, and that makes it more dangerous,” Musa said.
He explained that criminals often live and operate within communities while disguising themselves as law-abiding citizens, making intelligence sharing and prompt reporting critical to security operations.
“You cannot see it on someone’s face. It could be someone you think is your friend or someone you trust. That is why people must not give criminals any safe haven,” he added.
The defence minister urged Nigerians to report all forms of criminal activity, including banditry, kidnapping, terrorism and insurgency, assuring that security agencies would respond decisively to credible information.
Musa noted that the security situation across the country was gradually improving, attributing the progress to sustained military operations, improved intelligence gathering and growing public support.
“We are getting there. It is improving by the day. Peace is a whole-of-society effort, and everyone has a role to play,” he said.
Earlier, in a goodwill message, the Emir of Doma Kingdom, Ahmadu Onawu, described OurNigeria as more than a publication, saying it represents a platform for patriotism, hope and national renewal.
Onawu said Nigeria is endowed with exceptional human capital and abundant natural resources, stressing that the country has no justification for remaining poor. He identified the nation’s major challenge as the failure to effectively deploy its human and material resources for nation-building and sustainable development.
He called on Nigerians, irrespective of status, to take responsibility for building a prosperous and self-reliant country, warning that future generations would judge the present by the legacy it leaves behind.
Also speaking, the Publisher of OurNigeria News Magazine, Sani Abubakar, said the core message of the awards ceremony was integrity and credibility.
“The major take-home from this award is integrity and credibility. People came all the way from South Africa and Liberia on their own just to receive this recognition. That tells you a lot,” he said.
Abubakar noted that credible awards command respect and sacrifice, recalling that one of the recipients had to interrupt a trip to Ghana by air in order to attend the event.
“If an award lacks credibility and is only about business, people would not take such risks or make such sacrifices,” he said
He explained that the awards were designed to recognise excellence without financial or political attachments, stressing that honourees were not required to pay to receive recognition.
“If someone has done exceptionally well in any field, acknowledging that effort and saying ‘you did well’ matters a lot. It motivates people to do more,” Abubakar said.
He cited the example of philanthropist Sadik Ishan from Gombe State, who donated vehicles to the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), describing the gesture as a strong symbol of religious tolerance and national unity.
“These are the kinds of actions we want Nigerians to promote. When people like this are encouraged, they will do even more,” he added.
Abubakar further noted that many award recipients were quietly making positive impacts in their communities without seeking recognition, expressing optimism that the awards would expand in scale and impact over the next five to ten years, with plans to attach cash grants to some categories.
At the event, the Man of the Year 2025 award was presented to Gen. Musa in recognition of his national leadership, commitment to security and service to Nigeria’s peace and stability.
The 7th OurNigeria News Awards brought together political leaders, security chiefs, scholars, traditional rulers, professionals and civil society actors to honour outstanding service, leadership and contributions to national development.
