OurNigeria News Awards 2025: Defence Minister Calls for Citizen Action Against Insecurity
OurNigeria News Awards 2025: Defence Minister Calls for Citizen Action Against Insecurity
By Matthew Eloyi
The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (Rtd) has stressed that defeating insecurity in Nigeria requires active citizen participation, integrity in leadership, and collective commitment to nation-building.
General Musa stated this on Saturday at the 7th OurNigeria News Awards in Abuja with theme “Resilience and Renewal: Inspiring Change, Celebrating Nigerian Excellence”.
The Minister who was honoured as Man of the Year 2025, said criminal activities thrive when communities shield bandits, terrorists, and kidnappers from security agencies.
Speaking with newsmen after receiving the award, Musa said Nigeria’s security challenge has evolved into a form of asymmetric warfare that demands more than military force.
According to him, criminals often live among ordinary citizens, making intelligence sharing and vigilance essential. He urged Nigerians to deny criminals any safe haven and to promptly report suspicious activities linked to banditry, terrorism, kidnapping, or insurgency.
“This is not conventional warfare where you are fighting another country. The enemy is within, and that makes it more dangerous,” Musa said, assuring that security agencies would respond decisively to credible information.
The Defence Minister noted that despite ongoing challenges, the security situation across the country was gradually improving, attributing recent gains to sustained military operations, improved intelligence gathering, and increased public cooperation.
In a goodwill message, the Emir of Doma Kingdom, Alhaji Ahmadu Aliyu Oga Onawo, described OurNigeria News Magazine as a platform that promotes patriotism, hope, and national renewal. He said Nigeria is richly endowed with human and natural resources and has no justification for remaining poor.
The traditional ruler argued that the country’s real challenge lies in its failure to fully deploy available resources toward nation-building and sustainable development. He urged Nigerians at all levels to take responsibility for the country’s future, warning that history would judge the present generation by its contributions.
Also addressing the gathering, the Publisher of OurNigeria News Magazine, Dr. MS Abubakar, said the awards were founded on the principles of credibility and integrity, noting that the recognition had earned respect beyond Nigeria’s borders.
He revealed that some award recipients travelled from South Africa and Liberia at their own expense to attend the ceremony, while another interrupted his journey to Ghana in order to be present.
“If an award lacks credibility and is only about business, people will not make such sacrifices,” Abubakar said.
He explained that honourees were not required to pay to receive the awards, stressing that recognising excellence without financial or political influence motivates individuals to do more for society.
