The Chief of Defence Staff’s declaration of 2025 as a decisive year against insecurity presents an opportunity to demand concrete actions and accountability.
Development Diaries reports that General Christopher Musa, during a visit to troops of Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) in Mangu area of Plateau State, declared 2025 as a year for Nigeria’s military to decisively tackle and eradicate banditry, terrorism, and other security threats.
Security issues
In its 2024 report titled The Crime Experienced and Security Perception Survey (CESPS), covering May 2023 to April 2024, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed a staggering figure: approximately 614,937 Nigerians lost their lives to insecurity during this period.
The report also revealed that 2,235,954 individuals were kidnapped, with a total ransom payment of about N2.2 trillion.
While such declarations can inspire hope amidst such security reports and bolster troop morale, Nigerians have a duty to scrutinise and demand clarity on the timelines and measurable milestones the military intends to adopt.
General Musa’s statement also places the burden of accountability on the government and security agencies to justify the resources allocated for national security.
According to the 2025 budget proposal before the National Assembly, the federal government is proposing the sum of N4.91 trillion for the defence and security sector in the fiscal year.
Nigerians must question how the defence budget for 2025 will directly address the identified threats and improve the welfare and equipment of troops.
Questions must be asked to ensure that funds are not misappropriated and that procurement processes for military hardware are free of corruption.
Citizens should demand periodic updates from the CDS and other relevant authorities to assess whether progress aligns with the stated goals.
Also, citizens should ask whether the measures taken in military operations across regions are inclusive of community-based solutions that address the root causes of insecurity.
The role of local intelligence, collaboration with community leaders, and engagement with displaced populations are key areas requiring public scrutiny to ensure long-term peace.
Finally, this development highlights the importance of holding leaders accountable for their pronouncements.
Development Diaries calls on General Musa and the military leadership to outline specific, measurable milestones for eradicating banditry, terrorism, and other threats. Transparency in defining operational goals and progress timelines would ensure public trust and credibility.
