Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, has warned that the country will suffer significant consequences if Niger Republic, Mali, and Burkina Faso fail to return to democratic governance.
Speaking on Arise Television’s Prime Time on Friday, Musa highlighted the deep-rooted governance issues in these countries and their spillover effects on Nigeria.
According to him, instability in these nations directly impacts Nigeria, making it harder to tackle security challenges. “And those are the things trying to pour into Nigeria. Whatever effort we are making, as long as these things are there, it is going to be a challenge,” he added.
The three Sahel nations, all under military rule, withdrew from ECOWAS and later formed the Alliance of Sahel States.
Musa stressed the importance of restoring democracy in these nations, arguing that governance stability is crucial for regional security.
“The truth about it is that, especially for these three countries, it is important that they get their leadership right, and then they are able to do a lot. And that is why for us in Nigeria, we have a lot to lose if they do not get it right—they must have a democratic system that will be able to assist them in taking decisions that will help the country,” he said.
To contain security threats from these neighbouring countries, Musa said the Nigerian government is strengthening border management.
“And that is why the federal government is moving up, to make sure that we have a very wonderful border management system because we have to protect our borders,” he stated.
Speaking on Nigeria’s position in the latest Global Terrorism Index, where the country was ranked sixth, Musa insisted that security has significantly improved.
“I will not speak for West Africa; I will speak for Nigeria. In 2024, we had the least number of attacks within the country. Things are improving. Yes, we still have isolated issues. But, I can tell you the troops are really putting in their best,” he said.
He urged Nigerians to recognise the progress and support efforts to sustain the improvements.
“If you move around the country, you would see that a lot of things have improved; farmers are going back to their farms, and there is a lot of peace. Nigerians know that things are really improving; we need to join hands together to do more,” he concluded.
