……‘Military must unite Nigerians, not divide them’
By Abdullahi Inuwa
The Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, has come under fresh pressure to resign following a strongly worded call by Bashir Garba Sufyan over comments the minister allegedly made during a recent interview.
Sufyan, writing on X, said he was disturbed by Musa’s reference to “our people,” arguing that such language could raise questions about the commitment of military leadership to Nigeria’s principle of national unity.
The activist recalled that Musa was born and raised in Sokoto State and spent a significant part of his formative years within a predominantly Muslim community.
According to Sufyan, that community offered the minister acceptance and support, making the perceived religious undertone of his recent remarks a matter of concern.
Sufyan stressed that military service should transcend religious, ethnic and regional identities, particularly at the level of national leadership.
He argued that the Nigerian Armed Forces were established to protect all citizens and should therefore remain an institution where the country’s diversity is treated as a source of unity rather than division.
“The military is supposed to be an institution that brings Nigerians together, regardless of their religion, ethnicity, region or background,” Sufyan said.
Declaring a vote of no confidence in the minister, Sufyan called for Musa’s immediate resignation as Defence Minister.
His intervention adds to the growing public debate over how senior government and security officials should communicate on issues involving religion, ethnicity and national identity.
For Sufyan, the issue goes beyond a single phrase. He said the leadership of the military carries a responsibility to demonstrate neutrality and reassure citizens that the Armed Forces belong equally to Nigerians of every faith and ethnic background.
He also tagged Amnesty International Nigeria in his X post, apparently urging the human-rights organisation and the wider public to take note of his concerns.
However, Sufyan’s demand remains an expression of his personal position. The context of Musa’s interview and the minister’s intended meaning behind the disputed phrase would need to be considered before any definitive judgment is made.
There was no immediate response from Musa to the call for his resignation.
Source:@Bashir_GS
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