News
In the Shadow of the Crescent: The Tumultuous Terrain of Nigeria’s Security Landscape
By Ashineko Ayinya
As Nigeria grapples with the specter of its security challenges, the appointment of Christopher Gwabin Musa, an Atyap man, as the Chief of Defense staff has sparked a maelstrom of criticism. The outcry, primarily from Northern clerics and politically motivated instigators, exposes the deep-seated ethnic and religious fissures within the nation. This article explores these tensions, the political maneuverings around them, and their implications for the nation’s security.
Since the ascension of Christopher Musa, an Atyap, to the mantle of Chief of Defense staff in Nigeria, a veritable Pandora’s Box of controversy has been unlatched. A chorus of Northern clerics, spurred on by Machiavellian politicians seeking to portray themselves as the guardians of Islam, have been vocal in their dissent. In a sweeping act of political grandstanding, they targeted the Atyap Development Association in their twilight hours of power.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, like Odysseus navigating the tumultuous seas, sincerely seeks to shore up the security of his nation. Appointments like Musa’s are born out of merit and necessity, a lesson learned from the previous regime’s missteps, which led to a veritable Trojan Horse situation with Muslims monopolizing all strategic security positions, resulting in the country’s descent into its darkest period of insecurity. President Tinubu’s move may be more of a strategic maneuver than a show of favoritism towards Christians. In matters of national security, religious and ethnic affiliations should be relegated to the background.
Yet, these clerics, like sirens calling out to a ship, are desperate to discredit and possibly pressure President Tinubu into retracting the appointment. They have propagated the unfounded claim that Musa, who has merely been in position for two months, is planning a purge of Hausas, beginning in Zaria. Their references to the 1992 Zangon Kataf crisis, a dark chapter in Kaduna State’s history, are one-sided and exclude the instigations that sparked the conflict. They demand the execution of General Zamani Lekwot, rekindling old tensions and risking the resurgence of conflict.
The clerics’ selective amnesia extends to the security challenges faced under the Buhari administration. They conveniently overlook the rampant kidnappings and killings unless someone from a non-Muslim background assumes a position of authority. They remain silent on the violence, abductions, forced marriages committed by Fulani individuals against their fellow Hausas. Their selective outrage and consciousness paint a puzzling picture.
The discord surrounding Musa’s appointment is symptomatic of the complex interplay of religion, ethnicity, and politics in Nigeria’s security landscape. These complications, if left unchecked, could further destabilize the already tenuous security situation. It is therefore crucial for the government and its citizens to rise above the divisive rhetoric and work towards a harmonious and secure Nigeria.
About the Author
Ashineko Ayinya is a writer, researcher, and mathematician from Southern Kaduna. In 2018, he faced persecution from the government led by El-Rufai and narrowly escaped with his life. As a result, he is currently an internally displaced person. He sustains himself amidst the economic challenges in the country through his professional writing.
Footnotes:
– Christopher Gwabin Musa: General Christopher Gwabin Musa OFR, an Atyap man, (born 25 December 1967) is a Nigerian Army general who is the 18th Chief of Defence Staff of Nigeria. He was appointed by President Bola Tinubu on 19 June 2023.
– Zangon Kataf Crisis: The Zangon Kataf Crisis refers to a violent ethnic conflict that occurred in Zangon Kataf, Kaduna State, Nigeria, in the early 1990s. The conflict involved clashes between the Kataf ethnic group and the Hausa-Fulani Muslim settlers, driven by issues of land ownership, political representation, and religious tensions. The crisis resulted in casualties, property destruction, and mass displacement. Major General Zamani Lekwot, a key figure in the Nigerian Army, was implicated in the crisis and faced legal consequences, highlighting the complexity of managing communal tensions and the need for effective conflict resolution strategies.
– Zamani Lekwot: Zamani Lekwot (1947-date), an Atyap man, was a Nigerian military officer known for his role in peacekeeping operations, particularly during the ECOMOG intervention in Liberia and Sierra Leone. He rose to the rank of Major General in the Nigerian Army and served as the Force Commander of the Nigerian contingent in ECOMOG. However, Lekwot’s career was marred by controversy when he was implicated in the Zangon Kataf communal clashes in Nigeria and sentenced to death, later commuted to life imprisonment. Despite the controversies surrounding him, Lekwot’s contributions to peacekeeping efforts and his complex legacy remain significant.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, has announced that more than 4,000 women have benefited from the Federal Government’s free Cesarean section (C-section) initiative since its inauguration.
Pate disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja during a media conference marking the 2025 Safe Motherhood Day.
The theme of this year’s celebration is “Innovating for Safer Birth: A Collective Responsibility to Crash Maternal Mortality,” with the slogan “Care for Moms, Hope for the Babies.”
Celebrated annually on April 11, Safe Motherhood Day aims to raise awareness about maternal health.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that in November 2024, Pate revealed that the Federal Government would offer free C-sections for all women in need, as part of efforts to reduce maternal mortality.
This initiative is part of the Maternal Mortality Reduction Innovation and Initiatives (MAMII) project, which aims to improve access to quality healthcare and reduce maternal and newborn mortality rates.
Pate emphasized that the government was committed to ensuring no woman dies during childbirth and that every newborn receives the care and dignity they deserve.
He outlined several ongoing government efforts to ensure safe deliveries, including the Health Sector Renewal Investment initiative, which addressed long-standing challenges in the health system.
“Under this initiative, we have strengthened the Primary Health Care system to ensure better access to quality maternal, newborn, and child health services.
“We are scaling up Comprehensive Emergency Maternal, Obstetric, and Newborn Care, especially for indigent and vulnerable populations.
“More than 4,000 women have already received cesarean sections, treated, and reimbursed through the National Health Insurance Authority’s emergency obstetric care programme,” Pate explained.
He said that the government had also expanded coverage of skilled birth attendants in underserved areas and broadened health insurance coverage.
“The National Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance System has been strengthened, with 23 states empaneled.
“Additionally, the Free Fistula Programme, offering free repair, care, and transportation, is currently active in 15 facilities.”
Pate noted that these reforms were already showing positive results, with improved health indicators in several states.
Addressing the theme of Safe Motherhood Day, Pate called on all Nigerians to take responsibility for ensuring safer childbirth for every woman, regardless of her background or location.
Country Director of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr Walter Mulombo, also spoke on behalf of development partners.
He emphasised that safe motherhood started with comprehensive health security and called for continued investment in maternal and newborn health services, particularly in hard-to-reach areas.
He urged the government to enact and uphold laws that would protect women’s and children’s health rights, including maternity protection and access to sexual and reproductive health services.
The event culminated in the launch of key policy and guideline documents aimed at advancing safe motherhood.
These included the Safe Motherhood Strategy (2024-2028), Guidelines for Managing Postpartum Hemorrhage, Preeclampsia and Eclampsia Guidelines, Essential Gynaecological Skills Manuals, and the National Training Manual for Obstetric Fistula Management.
NAN also reports that these documents underscore the government’s commitment to building a resilient, people-centered health system that proactively addresses maternal health challenges.(NAN)
Zamfara State Elders Forum has criticised Governor Dauda Lawal Dare for attempting to take credit for recent security improvements in the region, accusing him of political opportunism and failing to deliver on campaign promises.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Zamfara Elders Forum, through its secretary Dr Alhaji Umaru Yusuf Tsafe, described the governor’s actions as “misleading” and a display of “inconsistency and opportunism.”
The group alleged that Lawal had reneged on his 2023 election pledge to end insecurity in Zamfara within a month, instead shifting blame to the federal government when the situation worsened under his leadership.
“Governor Lawal rode into office on the back of promises he has completely failed to deliver,” Tsafe said, noting that the governor had previously campaigned by blaming his predecessor, Bello Matawalle, for the state’s insecurity.
“Once in office, he claimed he lacked the resources to act, exposing his lack of foresight and leadership.”
The elders further accused Lawal of attempting to claim credit for recent security breakthroughs, which they attributed to the efforts, of President Bola Ahmad Tinubu,
National Security Adviser malam Nuhu Ribadu, Minister of State for Defence Dr. Bello Muhammad Matawalle, and CDS musa
“Governor Lawal neither provided meaningful support nor initiated these operations,” the statement read, labelling his actions as “political desperation.”
The forum urged the people of Zamfara to demand accountability from their leaders, stressing that the state deserves “a governor who is honest, consistent, and genuinely committed to their safety.”
They condemned Lawal’s approach as exploitative, accusing him of seeking to benefit politically from the achievements of others.
Suspected Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters have detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) on Mandafuma bridge, along Biu-Damboa road in Borno state.
Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication focused on the Lake Chad region, said the incident occurred at about 2 am on Tuesday.
Makama said the explosion was aimed at hindering military reinforcements traveling through the area, and to disrupt the movement of motorists and passengers along the route.
Some images released by the publication show severe damage to the bridge which links Mandafuma village and Biu town.
On April 12, eight travelers were killed following an IED explosion on the Maiduguri-Damboa road in Borno state.
The incident which involved a commercial bus heading to Maiduguri from Damboa left 11 other persons severely injured.
Similarly, on March 21, four passengers were killed and four others injured after an IED exploded under a commercial vehicle in Biu LGA of the state.
The vehicle was said to have stepped on the IED upon reaching Sabon Garin, Kimba junction, leading to a massive explosion that killed on the spot four passengers, including three females and a male.