Intelligence, security and governance expert Aliyu Gebi has hailed the appointment of former Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa (rtd.), as Defence Minister, describing it as “one of the best appointments so far in this administration”and a potential turning point in Nigeria’s fight against insecurity.
Speaking in an interview with ARISE News on Wednesday, Gebi said General Musa brings an unmatched wealth of operational, tactical and strategic experience, having “gone full circle” through the military hierarchy.
“You have to look at General C.G. Musa not as an individual but as a compendium of track record,” Gebi said. “He was theatre commander in the North East, then infantry commander in Jaji, then CDS, left service and now he is minister. So he understands what the tactical needs are, what the operational needs are and what the strategic needs are.”
Gebi noted that Musa’s appointment has unified public sentiment, saying:
“You can see how the entire country rallied behind one man, which shows that we are not as divided as we like to think. Nigerians know and appreciate value and applaud when the right thing is done.”
Reacting to Musa’s statement during his Senate screening that Nigeria can win the war against insecurity, Gebi said success will require collective resolve.
“He needs the support of all Nigerians and the entire infrastructure of governance,” he said. “It’s not just the senators grilling him. He can ask them the same—what laws will you make? What will you do for the troops and for the defence infrastructure?”
Gebi added that the Senate should have asked more probing questions, especially given Musa’s hands-on leadership style as CDS.
“This is someone who visited Benue no less than six times, Plateau no less than four times. He was on his feet ensuring troop morale was high and revamping antiquated strategies,”he said. “He understands more than anyone what the soldier in the trench is going through.”
He stressed the need to address troop welfare, saying:
“If the soldier in the trench is not taken care of, if the fighting troops don’t have what they require, then we can do everything and still fail.”
Gebi recalled Musa’s long-standing push for improved military accommodation:
“He was very concerned about housing for soldiers. He would say, ‘If today we win all the wars and close down all the theatres, where will the soldiers go?’ As CDS, that became one of his cardinal principles. Now as minister, he has what it takes to get it done—but he needs the legislature as partners in progress.”
Gebi strongly backed Musa’s advocacy for a comprehensive national database, describing it as central to the fight against terrorism.
“Within his thinking, he has always thought of a comprehensive civilian protection plan, C2P2,”he explained. “You need to rely on data. It is data that will point to trends, to the types of solutions required, who the criminals are, who the enablers are, who an illegal alien is.”
He warned that Nigeria cannot tackle insecurity without addressing emerging regional threats, particularly across the Sahel.
“With the creation of the AES, Nigeria now has a border with Mali,” he said. “Our southwestern flank through Benin Republic also has an upsurge in activity. We need data to understand what type of problem is coming and what type is already here.”
Gebi urged long-term strategic planning:
“We cannot take a strategic problem and give it an ad hoc solution. Politicians plan for four years—that is tactical. But for the military, he must plan for at least a generation, at least 25 years.”
On Musa’s insistence that ransom payments must stop, Gebi argued that the focus should be on preventing abductions altogether.
“People shouldn’t be kidnapped. It’s as simple as that,” he said. “To prevent kidnapping, we need a cohesive strategy. We should reward good behaviour and punish bad behaviour. If we want to take out this cancer, we must resolve to fight it regardless of the cost.”
Gebi said Musa’s immediate priority should be clear and uncompromising.
“His first assignment is to ensure that everyone in captivity is returned, and to ensure that no child is taken from any school ever again in Nigeria,” he said.
Gebi concluded by expressing confidence in the minister-designate’s capacity, emphasising that he will need political will and national unity to execute the mandate successfully.
Boluwatife Enome
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