A leading Fulani cultural association, Kulen Allah Cattle Rearers Association of Nigeria (KACRAN), has urged the newly appointed Minister of Defence, retired General Christopher Musa, to utilize non-kinetic approach for maximum results in addressing the issues of banditry and kidnapping in the North.
The call is contained in a statement by the National President of KACRAN, Hon. Khalil Moh’d Bello.
Bello, who expressed satisfaction with the pubic support shown to Musa’s appointment as Minister being some one that effectively used non-kinetic approaches in his tenure as Theatre Commander in Borno and Chief of Defence Staff, said the Minister needed to amplify that to justify public confidence for a lasting solution to the security challenges, particularly in farmers/herders conflict.
“There is a unanimous demand from the President and the citizenry for an immediate halt to violence, including kidnapping, the abduction of school children, the destruction of farms and property, cattle rustling, attacks on places of worship, and the brutal killing of innocents.
“General Musa is viewed as a figure with the capacity to miraculously turn the tide, given his extraordinary performance in previous theatres of operation, including Liberia, the North East, and his tenure as Chief of Defence Staff.
“The Minister faces a unique challenge never before seen by an elected or appointed official in our history: a critically short timeline. To our knowledge, no Defence Minister has had a window of one year or less to prove their competence in such a complicated environment.
“We say this because, considering the political calendar and the forthcoming 2027 elections (campaigns for which may effectively begin in 2026), the success of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and many Governors seeking re-election depends largely on the ability of the incoming Defence Minister to reduce insecurity to the barest minimum.
“KACRAN critically observes that no matter how committed or hardworking the Minister may be, if security challenges worsen or remain stagnant by the next election cycle, the administration will face the same electoral difficulties encountered by the Jonathan administration in 2015. Therefore, the Minister is expected to achieve six years’ worth of progress in less than one year,” KACRAN observed
It therefore called upon General Musa to justify the confidence reposed in him by utilizing his vast military experience—not only in combat but in the art of maintaining peace—to restore normalcy, trust, and brotherliness to the country between now and October 2026.
“Specifically, KACRAN recommends the following strategic shifts: Strategic Mapping: We request the Minister to bring all security challenges to the table for critical analysis to fully understand their root causes.
“Hybrid Approach: We urge a departure from the current over-reliance on excessive military force. The Ministry must identify which challenges can be amicably resolved through dialogue and negotiation, reserving kinetic military action only for situations where it is absolutely necessary.
“Open Door Policy: We advise the Minister to operate an open-door policy, listening to citizens who possess meaningful intelligence or advice on ending the conflict”.
While urging Nigerians to remember that security is a collective responsibility, KACRAN appealed to security operatives, traditional rulers, politicians, and all citizens to provide maximum support to enable the Minister to succeed within the shortest possible time.
KACRAN assures the Minister of its readiness to provide all necessary support to achieve peaceful coexistence.
“We passionately appeal to him to consider KACRAN’s specific proposal on how to end insecurity in the North West and North Central zones within 3 to 6 months, with minimal military engagement,” the statement added.
