The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Christopher Gwabin Musa has called for a review of international laws on armed conflict, international humanitarian law, and human rights legislation to also criminalise terrorist leaders who commit war crimes with impunity daily.

General Musa queried why these international legal instruments do not apply to terrorists, despite the heinous atrocities they commit against humanity.

The Defence Chief also revealed that the Defence Chiefs of African nations will soon converge in Abuja to develop a home-grown strategy to tackle terrorism and violent extremism on the continent.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, General Musa stated that hosting the 2025 African Chiefs of Defence Staff Summit in Abuja will enable Nigeria to counter the false narratives being circulated by some international organisations about the country’s security situation.

Stressing that Africa needs the support of one another to win the war against terrorism and violent extremism, the CDS stated that no single nation can win an asymmetric war alone

He also expressed regret over the occasional collateral damage during airstrikes, saying, “When war happens, mistakes also occur. Civilian casualties are not unique to Nigeria; they happen everywhere.”

He said, “Sometimes, we are made to look as if we are committing the worst atrocities ever, but I can assure you that we are doing the best we can. We respect human rights and value civilian lives. In fact, we often abort operations to avoid civilian casualties, even when doing so hampers our ability to strike.

This has, in part, prolonged the conflict. We are training our personnel—both locally and internationally—on human rights and international humanitarian law. So we are making progress.

“I’ll give you an example regarding human rights. During the incident involving an NGO, I mentioned a situation where we saw a particular NGO treat our troops, then cross over to treat terrorists. We wondered why they were treating the terrorists, and they argued that they were neutral. Regrettably, the international laws do not apply to terrorists, who kill at will and cause all sorts of destruction without restraint. Meanwhile, we are constrained by international laws because we represent state forces.

“These are the areas we need to critically examine and find a way forward. Laws are dynamic—they are made by humans, for humans. As we evolve, we must develop laws that protect our citizens and our sovereignty, which is crucial.”

On the perception of insecurity in Nigeria by foreigners, and efforts to challenge the false narrative being pushed by some international organisations, the CDS responded to questions during the briefing by saying: “During the African Military Games, we had over 22 countries in attendance. Many of them had been told that there were gunfights and insecurity throughout Nigeria. But when they arrived and saw Abuja for themselves, they were surprised. Some even questioned whether this was the same country portrayed by international organisations as a war zone. It gave them a new, accurate perspective of what Nigeria is truly like.”

He added, “No one nation can win asymmetric warfare alone; you need the support of others. Terrorists do not respect borders—they strike wherever they see opportunity. But when we unite, share intelligence, and work collaboratively, they will find no gaps to exploit. That is why it is essential for us to come together to develop a truly African, home-grown solution to insurgency in Africa.”