As a Northerner from a minority group, his rise to the powerful position of CDS was unexpected; securing a second opportunity to command the entire security apparatus goes beyond conventional political logic. No wonder, his reappointment is likened to lightning striking twice.
Those who think a sack from government is about incompetence and lack of capacity should think twice, going by the reappointment of former CDS Christopher Gwabin Musa as Defence minister. Within six weeks, the man with the highest rank in the army metamorphosed into the highest ranked man in the defence architecture of the country. His uniform was also swapped from khaki to civilian clothing.
Such is the overnight transformation, that pundits question the saying that lightning does not strike twice. With General Musa (rtd), it did. And such is the power of providence; some call it destiny. That you are down today does not mean you are out forever. Yes, it is also politics. And with politics, everything – including appointments, reappointments and sack are in a state of flux – is unpredictable, uncertain and not reliable.
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For General Chris Musa, everything – providence, politics and intrigues – played out, but there must be something about his personality. Many appointees won’t have the easy ride he had during his second coming with either critics, the civil society or media. Have we not seen how pressures were brought to bear on some appointees, leading the authorities to drop such individuals. Neither netizens of the social media, the political class and pundits pushed back at General Musa’s return, even if it would not change anything.
When he was relieved of his position, to “enhance security” across the country, with President Bola Tinubu emphasising the need for professionalism, vigilance and comradeship in the Armed Forces, many were not convinced. Instead they were like well, the man (Musa) did his utmost best but since shuffling and reshuffling is the President’s prerogative as so constitutionally provided, who are we to question his actions or deeds? In the end, it was that same President who recanted.
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Then the security excuse for which he was shown the way out resurged in intensity. In between, President Donald Trump designated Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern, and one that decimates its Christian population through genocide and threatened guns-ablazing on the terrorists killing his brethren. Instead of thawing, the attacks became incessant. Then came renewed church attacks and the abduction of school children from a Catholic school in Niger State – the biggest ever – and also from a girls’ school in Kebbi State. And for the same reason of nipping insecurity in the bud, a General Musa had to come to judgment.
Yet, others attributed his “temporary fall from grace” to the rumours of a coup, which were dismissed as false by the Presidency. Coup attempt or not, heads did roll in the military, and the then CDS Musa was one of them.
In addition, CDS Musa’s Aljareeza interview, in which he blamed the international community for its conspiracy and possible complicity, went viral.
On the regrouping of Boko Haram, he noted that over 120,000 insurgents who surrendered came with “hard currency.” “Where did they get it from? How are they funded? How did they get the training? How did they get the equipment, and how was Boko Haram able to sustain themselves for 15 years?” He asked the Aljazeera presenter, adding that the UN may have to come in to trace and track their funding, since, according to him, it is an international flow beyond Nigeria’s control.
The rhetorical questions were puzzling, as much as the “your guess is good as mine” retort to the journalist’s question on “whose interest is it to destabilise Nigeria?” For all these, who knows whose toes General Musa stepped on? Did he say too much? Perhaps!
All these confusions have got people talking about possible American influence in General Musa being given a second chance by President Tinubu to come conclude a job he so passionately spoke about and defended. His tenure marked courage as he never shied away from straight-talking.
Whatever might have led to his first exit is immaterial at this point in time. However, it is hoped that his mistakes would serve as guardrails in his subsequent actions. One of them is the need for him to talk less and do more. Indeed, the referenced interview above is loaded and it left many unclear about his motives. Going forward, he may need to exercise caution.
Notwithstanding his failure to completely eradicate insurgency, CG Musa was credited to have revamped the counter-insurgency operation that shifted from a reactive stance to a more proactive counter-insurgency strategy leveraging advanced surveillance that neutralised key insurgent commanders. Under his watch, Operations Hadin Kai was said to have liberated over 1500 hostages and reclaimed strategic territories.
His tenure witnessed the introduction of mobile strike teams’ rapid-response units, with night vision and armoured mobility, which enabled swift incursions into insurgent strongholds. His non-kinetic efforts included deradicalisation programmes leading to the surrender of over 2,000 insurgents in 2024, an indication of a holistic approach to security and peace-building, despite the criticisms that have trailed the programme.
By far, his most impactful stride is in the area of military-civilian interaction, while seeking to restore trust and cooperation. He adopted an open-door leadership style; encouraging dialogue with civil society, youth leaders, traditional rulers, not just service chiefs, while reframing national security as inclusive and participatory.
General Musa was credited to have supported military-led community investments in humanitarian infrastructure (schools, clinics, particularly in areas affected by conflict), and vocational training for youth as alternatives to insurgent recruitment. He also prioritised troop welfare and professionalisation and focused on welfare, training in ethics/human rights, and internal reforms to boost morale and discipline.
These might have once again endeared him to the president who either put politics aside or played high-wire politics to recall General Musa. Meanwhile, General Musa should remember that policy-making and operations are not alike. His second coming is another litmus test to showcase his style of leadership out of his military command structure and comfort zone.
As a Northerner from a minority group, his rise to the powerful position of CDS was unexpected; securing a second opportunity to command the entire security apparatus goes beyond conventional political logic. No wonder, his reappointment is likened to lightning striking twice.
Zainab Suleiman Okino (FNGE) chairs the Blueprint Editorial Board. She is a syndicated columnist and can be reached via: [email protected]
