Defence Minister: Security Forces Are Not Enemies of the State

Defence Minister General Christopher Musa (rtd) has said Nigeria’s security forces are not enemies of the state, urging Nigerians to support and cooperate with government efforts to tackle insecurity.

According to Vanguard, the minister spoke as a guest on the June 12, 2026 edition of The Platform held in Lagos. He said everyone in the country, including the security forces, suffers from violence and instability, and called for public backing of the military and other agencies as essential to improving security.

“The security forces are not the enemies of the state. In fact, what I always say is that we are all victims,” the minister said, drawing on his tenure as commander of Operation Hadin Kai for 19 months.

He described meeting families of fallen soldiers and amputees from IED attacks, appealing to Nigerians to honour and support the security forces. The Channels TV coverage of the same Platform event also carries the minister’s comments on banditry.

For the Federal Government, the message was a deliberate effort to reset the public conversation around security institutions, especially as Democracy Day protests and counter-rallies gave fresh visibility to frustrations with insecurity.

Sources: Vanguard; Channels TV