Chief of Defense Staff General Christopher Musa has warned that Nigeria risks becoming the next target if security challenges in neighboring Sahel countries are allowed to overwhelm those nations.
Speaking in a media coverage by TVC from 10:51, General Musa highlighted the vulnerability created by Nigeria’s porous borders and called for increased vigilance from border communities. “Now, what we realize is because our borders are porous, we have a challenge, and that’s why I want to call on border communities that they must rise up to the responsibility. Looking the other way and allowing people just walk into Nigeria is doing us most harm,” he stated.
The defense chief painted a concerning picture of the broader Sahel region, describing it as lacking proper security control and leadership. “The Sahel belt is open with no control, no command and control, no leadership, so there’s movement of light arms and small weapons. The Sahel, we know, especially with Niger, Chad, Burkina Faso, and Mali, the challenges they are facing, gentlemen,” General Musa explained.
He issued a stark warning about the potential consequences of inaction regarding regional security challenges. “If we allow those challenges to overwhelm Niger, Chad, and Mali, the target is Nigeria, and we must have that clearly,” he stated.
The Chief of Defense Staff called for a fundamental shift in how Nigerians approach interactions with neighbors, advocating for more careful scrutiny of visitors and their intentions.
The military leader stressed the need for border communities to be more vigilant about incoming individuals, questioning their movements to prevent potential security threats. He warned that failure to adopt this cautious approach could have serious consequences for national security of countries in the West Africa state.
Despite these security concerns, General Musa affirmed Nigeria’s commitment to regional cooperation, noting ongoing military collaboration with Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso.
