Senate President Godswill Akpabio has said that the United States of America (US) President Donald Trump is pressuring the authorities over insecurity in the country.
Akpabio said this during the Senate confirmation screening of the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Christopher Musa, who was nominated for the post of minister of defence by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Gen Musa is expected to replace former Jigawa State Governor Mohammed Badaru, who resigned from defence minister post a few days ago, citing health reasons.
Akpabio's reference to Trump came when he insisted that Nigerians wanted to hear directly from Gen Musa on his plans, given the scale of the country's security challenges
Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn
Musa was later confirmed by the lawmakers after much questioning by the senators who had earlier pushed for him to take a bow and go since they had screened him in 2023 as defence chief.
But Akpabio, who blocked the move, stated that Trump was "on their neck", and reminded the lawmakers that the screening was a serious exercise that required public interrogation.
"Our constituents will like to hear from him. We are asking him questions because our constituents would like to ask him questions too," Akpabio said.
"This is not a period we should say bow and go. Even Donald Trump is on our neck," Akpabio said.
"With over 200 children in the bush being tortured, give the man an opportunity to give Nigerians hope. It is not like we don't like him," Akpabio said after he was able to calm down the rowdy scene that unfolded.
Earlier, the senator representing Niger East, Sani Musa, proposed that the nominee, Musa, should be allowed to "take a bow and go".
The suggestion made other Senators rise for and against.
The Senator representing Kebbi South, Garba Maidoki, walked towards the Senate president insisting that the nominee must be allowed to answer questions.
Gen Musa was later confirmed for the post after about five hours of grilling.
During his screening, Musa assured lawmakers of his commitment to serve diligently if sworn into the Federal Executive Council.
"I believe that the challenges we are facing are Nigerian challenges, not only for the armed forces or security agencies, but for everyone," Musa said.
"I want to assure you, we will succeed by working together as a team. Even when I was CDS, I tried to harmonise all the teams and service chiefs. There are gaps and constitutional lacunae affecting operations. We will follow up to make sure everyone is on board."
He called for a comprehensive and unified national database to assist security agencies in their operations. He also urged proactive roles for local and state governments, as well as the Nigerian legal system, in addressing insecurity.
Musa also emphasised the need to end ransom payments to kidnappers, bandits, and terrorists.
"There should be no negotiation with criminals. If you negotiate with them, they will never abide by it. They use the money to buy more arms," he stated.
On recruitment into the armed forces, Musa promised that subsequent selection processes would be thorough.
Addressing claims of religiously targeted attacks, Musa clarified that terrorism affects all Nigerians.
"We are all victims. Everybody is being killed," he said.
"We must stop the killings. Nigerians should not be killed. We must unite. These are evil people who are on drugs; they kill indiscriminately."
Afterwards, Senate President Godswill Akpabio commended Musa for his detailed responses during the screening.
"I have not seen any nominee answer all questions so thoroughly since 1999," he said. "We urge you to visit the defence industries as soon as you take over."
Following the screening, Akpabio put Musa's nomination to a voice vote, and it was unanimously approved, officially confirming him as Nigeria's defence minister.
Meanwhile, General Christopher Musa (retd.) has called for a holistic and community-driven approach to address the rising wave of student kidnappings and other security challenges across Nigeria.
Musa made the remarks on Wednesday during his screening at the Senate, following his nomination by President Bola Tinubu as the new minister of defence.
The screening began shortly after Senate President Godswill Akpabio read out Tinubu's request for Musa's confirmation to replace former Defence Minister Mohammed Badaru, who resigned earlier this week citing health reasons.
The Senate temporarily suspended its rules to allow Musa into the chamber for the exercise.
In a nomination letter sent on Tuesday, Tinubu expressed confidence that Musa would "strengthen Nigeria's security framework" and reposition the Defence Ministry amid growing insecurity nationwide.
During his session with lawmakers, Musa described the frequent abduction of schoolchildren as "very unfortunate," noting that despite the implementation of the Safe School Initiative last year, many schools remain vulnerable.
"We need to look at it critically and make sure the approach is holistic," Musa said. "Crime is localized, and security agencies cannot be everywhere. Communities must be resilient and capable of being first responders."
The retired military chief highlighted the lack of basic security infrastructure as a major challenge.
"Most schools have been built, but when you visit them, there is no perimeter fence. They are left exposed," he said.
He also pointed to gaps in information sharing and slow response times as factors worsening kidnapping incidents, stressing the need for technology to strengthen communication between communities and security agencies.
"Information conveyance has been an issue. A whole-of-society approach is needed -- technology, the armed forces, the police, other security agencies, and communities working together," Musa added.
Answering a question from former Senate President Ahmad Lawan, Musa pledged to enforce strict accountability in defence spending if confirmed.
"Whatever funds are made available must be properly utilised," he said. "We must ensure that whatever we procure truly supports our armed forces in carrying out their duties."
He maintained that proper oversight of defence resources would enhance operational effectiveness across military formations.
Military Solution Only 20-25%
Musa cautioned against relying solely on the armed forces to solve Nigeria's multifaceted security challenges.
"One mistake we make is thinking the armed forces can solve all the problems," he said. "The military solution is just 20 to 25 per cent. Effective policy and support from ministries, departments, and agencies are essential."
He stressed that stronger cooperation between the Ministry of Defence and other government bodies would be critical in implementing lasting security reforms.
With the Senate expected to conclude his confirmation soon, Musa's remarks come amid growing concern over escalating school abductions and rural insecurity, underscoring the urgent need for comprehensive security strategies.
Senate Launches Probe Into Safe School Initiative, Vows Full Accountability
In a related development, the Senate, on Wednesday, formally opened an extensive investigation into the Safe School Initiative (SSI), expressing deep concern over the programme's failure to curb persistent attacks and mass abductions in Nigerian schools despite years of funding and policy commitments.
Presiding over the inaugural sitting, Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee and former Abia State Governor, Senator Orji Kalu, vowed that the Senate would unravel all issues surrounding the initiative's implementation and ensure full accountability.
Senator Kalu noted that over 1,680 schoolchildren have been kidnapped and 180 educational facilities attacked since 2014, describing the situation as "unacceptable for a nation committed to educational development and child safety."
"It is unacceptable that our schools remain soft targets for terrorists and kidnappers,".
"We will track every naira and every dollar allocated to the Safe School Initiative. Nigerians deserve to know why, despite enormous investment and global support, our schools remain unsafe ", Kalu said.
"The committee will undertake a comprehensive financial and operational audit, engaging federal ministries, state governments, security agencies, and civil society partners."
Key areas to be reviewed include: "Utilisation of funds allocated since 2014, Deployment and effectiveness of security personnel, Early warning and emergency response systems, Infrastructure upgrades in vulnerable schools, Partnerships with international donors and private-sector contributors."
Kalu stressed that the probe is not targeted at any individual or institution, but aimed at strengthening accountability. "This is not a witch-hunt,".
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
"We owe Nigerian parents the responsibility to guarantee that their children can pursue education without fear. We will not rest until we get answers ", he assured.
The investigation follows fresh national outrage triggered by the recent abduction of 25 female students from Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, in Kebbi State, where bandits also killed the school's vice principal.
During plenary, lawmakers questioned how funds for the Safe School Initiative had been used, given the unabated attacks.
Senator Yahaya Abdullahi (APC, Kebbi North), who raised an urgent motion on the incident, described the attack as "a dirty slap on the face of the nation."
"A nation that cannot secure its children is not worth living in. This is a wake-up call," he declared.
Former Senate President and Chairman of the Committee on Defence, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, also called for a full probe.
"Since schools are still not safe for our pupils, we must investigate the funds released and how they were utilized," Lawan said.
The Senate presided by Godswill Akpabio constituted an 18-member ad hoc committee chaired by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu. Members include Senators Tony Nwoye, Yemi Adaramodu, Harry Ipalibo, Ede Dafinone, Mustapha Saliu, Diket Plang, Binus Yaroe, Kaka Shehu, and Musa Garba Maidoki, among others.
The committee has four weeks to submit a detailed report and recommendations for overhauling the Safe School Initiative.
Launched in May 2014 following the Chibok schoolgirls abduction, the Safe School Initiative was designed as a government-UN-private sector partnership aimed at securing schools in high-risk zones.
Initial funding: $10 million, Funds mobilized between 2014-2021: Over $30 million, Federal allocation (2023-2026): ₦144 billion, according to the ad-hoc committee, Despite these investments, insecurity targeting schools has worsened, prompting renewed scrutiny.
Senator Kalu reaffirmed the committee's determination to "re-engineer" the programme.
"Our goal is simple: to make Nigerian schools safe, secure, and conducive for learning. Nothing short of genuine accountability will suffice."
The Senate's findings are expected to play a critical role in reshaping Nigeria's national security approach to education.
