By Peter Adelowo
The Former Presidential Candidate of the African Democratic Congress, Dumebi Kachikwu, has called on the newly appointed Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa, to go beyond routine adjustments in the security architecture and provide Nigerians with a clear, honest account of the nation’s prolonged insecurity.
Kachikwu made the call at a world news conference on the state of the Nation in Abuja.
He warned that simply changing ministers is “not enough” to tackle the scale of killings, kidnappings and displacement across the country.
He said Nigerians are anxiously waiting for the government to tell the truth about the nature of the conflict that has persisted for nearly two decades.
According to Kachikwu, the time has come for the Federal Government—and especially the new Defence Minister—to define the real enemy behind the violence.
“Every day we hear different stories—farmer–herder clashes, mining disputes, banditry, land grab. What is the truth? What kind of war are we fighting? Nigerians deserve clarity.” He said:
Kachikwu questioned the fate of displaced communities, reports of villages being renamed after attacks, and allegations of genocide recently echoed on the global stage.
He stressed that no President and no administration, from past to present, has fully disclosed the facts and figures behind the deaths, displacement and destruction recorded over the years.
The ADC chieftain urged General Musa to confront the crisis with transparency and decisiveness, noting that soldiers cannot fight effectively when the identity and motives of the enemy remain unclear.
He also criticised policies that rehabilitate terrorists while neglecting victims, insisting that rebuilding affected communities and restoring public confidence must be top priorities.
Kachikwu concluded that Nigerians are willing to stand behind the government in the fight against insecurity—but only if leaders are honest with the nation.
