By Gabriel Ewepu

The Communal Responsibility and Civic Minded Foundation has declared its support for the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (rtd), over his recent comments on the security situation in Southern Kaduna.

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, the Foundation’s Executive Director, Comrade Godwin Erheriene, said the Minister, as a former military officer and now Defence Minister, has the right to speak on the security challenges facing the country and the lessons that should be drawn from them.

“We reaffirm our unwavering support for the Honourable Minister of Defence and reject any attempt to intimidate, silence or distract him from speaking on matters relating to national security, peace, unity and the welfare of Nigerians,” Erheriene said.

He stressed that the group’s position was not based on personal sentiment but on the belief that public officials entrusted with national security must be able to discuss the challenges Nigeria has faced openly.

Erheriene referred to the Minister’s comments during a live interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on 3 September 2026, in which Musa spoke about the security and socio-political realities experienced by communities in Southern Kaduna. The remarks, he said, had generated controversy and threats against the Minister.

“We believe that the appropriate response to such serious public statements should not be intimidation or an attempt to suppress discussion, but an open, evidence-based engagement with the issues raised,” he said.

The Foundation noted that Musa is from Southern Kaduna and served for about 35 years in the Nigerian military, rising to the rank of General. It said he had witnessed the consequences of insecurity, communal violence and the breakdown of trust between communities, and was therefore well placed to reflect on those experiences.

At the heart of the controversy, Erheriene said, were comments attributed to the Minister concerning the former Kaduna State administration, including references to insecurity, alleged payments to bandits, the demolition of properties and the use of ethnic or religious divisions in the state’s political environment.

“What Nigeria does not need is intimidation, inflammatory rhetoric or the weaponisation of political differences,” he said.

The group urged the media to continue providing space for responsible and balanced discussion of the issues, and called on civil society organisations to insist on accountability, transparency and respect for fundamental rights. It also admonished the political class to avoid language capable of further dividing Nigerians along ethnic, religious or regional lines.

“The security of Nigeria is too important to be reduced to political point-scoring,” Erheriene said. “General Christopher Musa has dedicated a significant part of his life to the service and defence of Nigeria. As Minister of Defence, he must be allowed to discharge that responsibility without intimidation, fear or favour.”

The Foundation expressed concern about the protracted insecurity in Southern Kaduna and the years of violence, displacement and destruction experienced by victims. It said the affected communities deserve truth, justice, reconciliation and lasting security rather than the politicisation of their suffering.

“Our concern is not about protecting one political party or attacking another. It is about ensuring that the experiences of communities affected by insecurity are not erased from public discourse,” Erheriene said. “Nigeria must never reach a point where discussing the painful history of violence becomes unacceptable simply because prominent political figures are involved.”

The group called for investigation and prosecution where wrongdoing is alleged, and for the judiciary to ensure that justice is not delayed. It added that anyone who believes they have been defamed should seek remedy through the law, but that political influence or legal threats should not be used to prevent discussion of matters of legitimate public interest.

“We stand with General Christopher Musa in his constitutional responsibility to contribute to the national conversation on security, unity and the protection of Nigerian lives,” Erheriene said. “We also stand for fairness, due process, responsible journalism and the rule of law.”

The Foundation urged all parties to lower the temperature, allow the facts to speak for themselves, and place the unity and security of Nigeria above personal and political differences.