Christopher Musa, Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), has warned that the country stands to lose significantly if Niger Republic, Mali, and Burkina Faso fail to return to democratic rule.
The three West African nations have been under military control in recent years and, after withdrawing from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), formed the Alliance of Sahel States in September 2023.
Speaking on Arise Television’s Prime Time, Musa stressed that leadership failures in these countries directly affect Nigeria, exacerbating issues such as poverty, climate change, and governance instability. He noted that while Nigeria is making efforts to address security threats, instability in neighboring countries poses a challenge. “We have issues of poverty in West Africa, a lot of issues with governance, challenges with Niger Republic, Mali, and Burkina Faso. They are taking a lot of heat, and that is because the areas are large, there is a lot of poverty within those areas, climate change is one major issue on the ground, and lack of political will is causing these issues,” he said.
Musa emphasized the importance of strong governance in these countries, stating that a democratic system would provide better decision-making structures. “For us in Nigeria, we have a lot to lose if they do not get it right-they must have a democratic system that will be able to assist them in taking decisions that will help the country,” he added.
The CDS also highlighted ongoing efforts by the federal government to strengthen border management between Nigeria and its neighbors to mitigate security threats. Addressing the latest global terrorism index, which placed Nigeria in the sixth position, he maintained that security in the country has significantly improved. “The federal government is moving up, to make sure that we have a very wonderful border management system because we have to protect our borders,” he said.
Musa acknowledged that while some security challenges persist, there has been progress, with fewer attacks recorded in 2024. “If you move around the country, you would see that a lot of things have improved; farmers are going back to their farms, there is a lot of peace. Nigerians know that things are really improving; we need to join hands together to do more,” he said.
