President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been urged to review what a civil society coalition described as an incompatible partnership between the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa, and the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s war against terrorism and boost public confidence in the security architecture.
The call was made on Wednesday by the Coalition of Nigeria Civil Societies Against Terrorism, which said that for counter-terrorism operations to succeed, there must be absolute institutional coherence, trust and clarity of roles at the highest levels of defence leadership.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, the convener of the coalition, Marvin Ibem, commended President Tinubu for demonstrating “clear resolve and political courage” in confronting terrorism and banditry through security sector reforms, leadership restructuring and enhanced international cooperation.
Ibem said Nigeria had recorded notable progress in degrading terrorist and bandit networks under the current administration, largely due to the professionalism of the Armed Forces under the leadership of the defence minister.
However, he argued that lingering public controversies surrounding the Minister of State for Defence had created a perception of incompatibility that could undermine operational confidence.
According to him, persistent narratives and allegations linking Matawalle to past engagements with bandit elements during earlier political assignments—whether proven or not—have continued to fuel public anxiety and raise concerns about intelligence integrity within the defence structure.
He stressed that Nigerians were not afraid of the Armed Forces, whose sacrifices and professionalism he praised, but of “what could go wrong when doubts exist at the strategic level of a war as sensitive as counter-terrorism.”
The coalition said its position was informed by recommendations contained in an assessment report on the ongoing war against terrorism in Nigeria, recently presented by the United World Congress of Diplomats (UN-WCD) in collaboration with the International Institute of Experts on Political Economy and Administration (IIEPEA).
According to the group, the report emphasised the need to insulate frontline security leadership and command structures from all forms of suspicion in order to protect operational secrecy and sustain battlefield advantage at a time when terrorists and bandits are under mounting pressure.
Ibem clarified that the call for redeployment was not an indictment of Matawalle but a preventive measure aimed at strengthening synergy around the defence minister and reinforcing public trust in the counter-terrorism effort.
“Redeployment is about system efficiency and confidence-building. It is meant to ensure that the leadership driving the war against terrorism speaks with one voice and commands unquestioned trust,” he said.
The coalition reaffirmed its full support for President Tinubu, stressing that terrorism remains a national threat that must rise above partisan and personal considerations.
It urged the President to take decisive steps that reinforce unity of command, clarity of purpose and credibility within the defence and security architecture.
It expressed confidence that with coherent leadership and sustained reforms, Nigeria would ultimately defeat terrorism and restore lasting peace to affected regions.
