A coalition of northern civic groups has defended the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (retd), against what it described as attempts to scapegoat and misrepresent him politically over his recent interview on Channels Television.
The groups, under the auspices of Citizen Support for Good Governance (CSGG) and the Arewa Concerned Citizens Forum (ACCF), said Musa should be judged based on his decades of military service, professional record and commitment to national unity rather than what they described as narrow interpretations of his comments.
The position was contained in a joint statement issued in Kaduna and signed by the Coordinator of the CSGG, Dr. Olumide Olayinka Adeosun, and the Chairman of the ACCF, Comrade Hamis Danbaba Malumfashi.
The coalition said attempts to portray Musa as acting out of political ambition overlooked his long career in the Nigerian military, during which he held several critical operational and command positions.
Prior to his appointment as a political leader, Musa served as Theater Commander of Operation Hadin Kai in the North East and was subsequently appointed Chief of Defense Staff (CDS) by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Reacting to the controversial Channels Television interview, CSGG and ACCF acknowledged that the minister’s comments were frank, particularly his views on Nigeria’s security situation, political environment and historical developments in Kaduna State.
During the interview, Musa criticized aspects of the administration of former Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, alleging that certain policies contributed to social division in the state.
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He, however, praised the efforts of the current governor, Senator Uba Sani, in promoting reconciliation and social cohesion.
The coalition warned against interpreting Musa’s comments as a personal vendetta against El-Rufai, noting that the minister used the “wrong” term when describing the governance approach and instead advocated for political leadership that promotes unity rather than division.
He urged Nigerians to subject claims made during the interview to available evidence rather than accepting or rejecting them based solely on the identity of the person who made them.
According to the statement, Musa was referring to publicly available interviews, speeches and videos in which El-Rufai himself discussed his administration’s security policies.
The groups therefore asked journalists and commentators to examine the source materials, verify the statements and consider their full context before reaching conclusions.
At the same time, CSGG and ACCF warned against treating allegations of serious wrongdoing, including those of deliberate involvement in murder, as established facts without adequate investigation or formal judicial procedures.
The coalition also recalled that when President Tinubu appointed Musa as Minister of Defense in December 2025, he explicitly recognized his extensive military experience and distinguished service at the highest levels of Nigeria’s defense architecture.
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