By Our Correspondent

National News – Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, has rated the security performance of President Bola Tinubu’s administration between 65 and 70 per cent, citing major gains in the fight against terrorism despite ongoing kidnapping challenges across parts of the country.

Musa made the assessment during an interview on Friday while reviewing the administration’s achievements after three years in office.

Speaking on the state of national security, the minister said terrorist activities had significantly declined compared to previous years.

According to him, security agencies have weakened insurgent groups through sustained military operations, leaving isolated incidents of kidnapping as one of the major concerns.

He noted that no country is entirely free from crime and stressed that Nigeria has made notable progress in combating violent extremism.

Musa attributed the rise in kidnapping cases to broader societal issues, including a breakdown in family values and the pursuit of quick wealth.

He argued that many perpetrators are motivated by greed and urged Nigerians to embrace hard work and lawful means of earning a living.

The minister called for stronger family and community structures to help address the problem at its roots.

His remarks come amid recent school abductions in Borno and Oyo states, where dozens of pupils were kidnapped during separate attacks in May 2026.

The incidents renewed concerns about the safety of students and vulnerable communities despite ongoing military operations nationwide.

Highlighting recent achievements, Musa revealed that Nigerian security forces successfully eliminated a deputy ISIS commander after months of intelligence gathering and surveillance.

He said the operation demonstrated the growing effectiveness of the military and intelligence services.

The defence minister also praised increased cooperation from citizens and international partners, including the United States, Britain, France, Brazil and Turkey.

He explained that these partnerships have provided valuable expertise, training and technology to strengthen Nigeria’s counter-terrorism efforts.

Musa warned against allowing terrorism to gain a stronger foothold, saying countries that fail to act early often face decades of security challenges.

He expressed confidence that continued collaboration and sustained military pressure would further improve security across Nigeria.