Can Gen Musa break the cycle of failure?

When they told the Christmas goat that the Chief Butcher had died, the goat asked, ‘Was he buried with his knife? The goat only wants to know if the threat has truly gone.

Insecurity is badly affecting Nigerians, and there is doubt about bringing the threat to an end. People want to sleep with their eyes closed and engage in daily activities without threats from terrorists.

Yes, the blame for insecurity stops at the desk of Tinubu. But the story of insecurity under him cannot be complete without his including his two non-career Ministers of Defence, Badaru and Matawalle. Their record is no different from that of a person who uses a basket to water a plant. From the moment Tinubu appointed them, critics argued that the president was not serious about solving our security problems. They did not disappoint; they failed. Badaru has resigned. Matawalle vows to continue.

As of now, General Christopher Gwabin Musa is the Minister of Defence. The media is covertly selling him as the poster boy of this administration. They call him the “right person.” But is he? Surely time will tell, and he does not have much. More worryingly, he is now a retired soldier wearing full political regalia to defend a political party.

During his ministerial screening, Senator Wadada said he expected him to solve the security issues within six months. And that is the right thing, especially for CG Musa, who speaks a lot about high standards but delivers very little. Similarly, doubts would be raised after hearing him push the “renewed hope” slogan in his speech after being sworn in.

The suspicious comment after being sworn in as Minister did not go unnoticed. As he repeated the common textbook sentences, he emphasised that security is the responsibility of all of us. No, that is not what the Constitution says. Providing security is primarily the responsibility of the government. Citizens can have supportive duties, such as obeying the law and cooperating, but they are not constitutionally mandated to provide security, as CG Musa suggests.

The statement came a day after the Senate President cautioned him against applying his delusional “kinetic and non-kinetic approach” during his Senate screening exercise. Knowing that it is a futile policy, alternatives must be considered. But does he have any? Can he devise one with just 18 months left before Tinubu’s presidency ends?

The following day, when he assumed office, he delivered another textbook banger in his motivational speech.  Without specifying his goals and policy direction, he announced that staff should “take initiative without waiting for instructions.” Such statements could cause confusion to the Ministry. People cannot judge what “initiative” means. People may act, but not in ways that support CG Musa’s goals—because the goals are not known.

Obviously, this behaviour is persistent in CG Musa. He came into the limelight for his eloquent motivational speeches, which can only work in an ideal world. Musa was never credited for his actions.

Until he was sacked as the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), CG Musa was known for persistently advocating a comprehensive security approach. It was another term he used interchangeably with “kinetic and non-kinetic approach”, depending on the knowledge level of his audience. Good to see Akpabio put a stop to that one. He has called on Nigerians to learn combat skills such as karate for self-defence to fight people with guns. Personally, I felt it was very insensitive to tell terror victims to learn karate to help them fight gunmen.

He advocated “building walls in our communities” as a defence mechanism against attackers. He might not realise his examples of wall building in Saudi Arabia and India were against foreign countries, not their citizens. But Nigeria’s fight is against indigenous terrorists like Lakurawa, Boko Haram, other bandits in Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Niger, Zamfara and the like. The point here is that CG Musa must change the tactics that got him sacked from the military if he wants to succeed as the Minister.

But can CG Musa change? Psychologists would say a person’s past behaviour is the best predictor of their future behaviour. Surely, those who cannot look back at history are doomed to repeat it. However, even critics hope he can defy this law and change his old behaviour.

We must accept the fact that CG Musa is now part of the Tinubu family, and the relationship did not begin when he was appointed the Minister of Defence. He was the CDS in this regime from the start until he was sacked in October. The presidency was forced to change the military leadership due to a series of security failures, including a muted coup attempt. It was the outcomes of CG Musa’s military leadership, together with his Ministers, that pushed Trump to call Nigeria a “disgraceful country” and even threatened war against us. Coming up short as the CDS makes it difficult to convince critics that he would be different as a Minister.

Leaning on the positive vibes, it was refreshing to hear CG Musa say he will withdraw military from checkpoints, send them to the bush to fight terrorists. He said he would review the theatre commands and promised to address corruption and indiscipline in the military. These are goals he could have delivered while in active duty. It would be difficult for him while singing political slogans.

He also vowed to investigate the killing of Brig. Gen. Musa Uba and schoolchildren kidnappings. But he cannot stop there. This is the time to complete what he could not do as CDS. Several terror activities have happened under his military leadership without much investigation. The massacre in Benue, Plateau, and Nasarawa; the lynchings of Kano travellers in Uromi, and the killing of Zaria travellers in Plateau, among many others.

Of particular concern is the recent Yelwata massacre. He was the first to announce that residents were involved in assisting the attackers. He will have no problem now arranging the investigation and convicting the perpetrators. Achieving this will help end retaliatory attacks.

On a prescriptive level, Musa must take more responsibility when things go wrong, just as he expects to take credit when things go well. Recruitment of a large number of military personnel is needed, as it was in the 1990s. He needs to refrain from asking citizens to take security responsibility unless he is going to support them in keeping firearms to defend themselves.

To avoid making him complicit, he must name the sponsors of terror whenever he comes across such information. No innuendos. Nigerians will not take the “we all know them” story. We don’t! His “hands are no longer tied.”

Lastly, he must backtrack and tell Nigerians the truth: the bandit-terrorists we are fighting are Nigerians, not foreigners. The media has reported on bandits’ familial connections and hometowns, such as those of Bello Turji and his ilk.

Surely, critics will doubt CG Musa’s abilities, and the onus is on him to dispel their doubts. But as things stand, we shall see if a fart can blow the fire.

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