ABUJA, December 4, 2025—General Christopher Musa (rtd), former Chief of Defence Staff and now Minister of Defence, has consistently sounded the alarm on Nigeria’s porous borders, warning that unchecked infiltration from the Sahel region poses a grave threat to national security.
Speaking during his Senate screening on December 3, Musa cautioned that instability in the Sahel, particularly in Mali, could spill into Nigeria if urgent measures are not taken. He stressed that border security is not just a military responsibility but a collective national challenge requiring unity and deliberate action.
“The Sahel is heating up, and you can see what they are doing to Mali. We do not want that situation to come to Nigeria. Our border must be secured, and our security forces must be enforced and supported,” Musa told lawmakers.
His warning echoes a series of earlier interventions in 2025, where he repeatedly emphasized the need for fencing and surveillance along Nigeria’s frontiers. At a June security conference in Abuja, Musa argued that Nigeria must follow the example of other nations that have fenced their borders to counter insecurity.
“It is Nigeria that everybody is interested in. That is why we need to secure fully and take control of our borders. It is critical for our survival and sovereignty,” he said.
At the inaugural Voice of Nigeria security summit, Musa went further, calling for robust border management systems, including accurate databases to track citizens and foreigners. He identified the Niger border as particularly vulnerable, stressing that fencing alone is insufficient without proper monitoring and coordination.
In a subsequent interview with Arise News, Musa dismissed concerns about the cost of fencing, insisting that national survival outweighs financial considerations.
“Some people say, look, it’s expensive. But I say, what is money if you are dead?” he remarked.
Musa’s proposals combine physical barriers with modern surveillance technologies such as drones and cameras, aiming to prevent cross‑border incursions more effectively. Security analysts note that his operational experience and repeated advocacy make him well‑positioned to lead Nigeria’s Defence Ministry in tackling terrorism, banditry, and cross‑border crime.
His vision underscores a dual approach: strengthening physical infrastructure while enhancing intelligence and governance at local levels. By doing so, Musa hopes to safeguard communities, protect agricultural production, and preserve Nigeria’s sovereignty in the face of mounting regional instability.
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