Nigeria’s new Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (retd.), has called for the creation of a comprehensive national database and improved tracking of ransom payments to strengthen national security and combat kidnapping and terrorism.
Musa made the recommendation on Wednesday, December 3, while appearing before the Senate for his screening, which lasted more than five hours where he was subsequently confirmed as the country’s new defence minister.
During the session, the former Chief of Defence Staff said Nigeria must adopt the basic security systems that have worked for advanced nations, beginning with a unified citizens’ database.
“If we look at first-world countries, why are they succeeding? They’ve been able to put some basic things in place. Something as simple as a database for all citizens,” he said.
“I think that’s one area we need to build to assist the security forces. Even developmentally, we need to know the number of people in particular areas.
“I think it’s important that we have a comprehensive database; we need a unified one so that when you commit a crime, it’s easier to track and trace,” Musa added.
He noted that the absence of a national database allows criminals to easily evade detection.
“That aspect that people can easily commit one crime in Sokoto and run to Maiduguri or Kano to stay and nobody knows them makes it a lot easier for them,” he explained.
The retired general urged the government to leverage Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to make criminal activity traceable.
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“There are countries that when you commit an offence, even your bank account is closed, your ATM cannot work,” he said.
“Now with ICT, we can do a lot. It is important at this stage to look at how we can link all that data together to have a unified one that will assist us,” he added.
Musa also urged law enforcement agencies to disrupt the financial networks sustaining kidnapping and terrorism. He said ransom payments should no longer go unmonitored.
“We must stop ransom payment. Even when ransoms are being paid, we can track the money being paid; there’s a lot we can do using the banking system.
“The use of technology is very important. If we are able to have a database and every Nigerian has a number linked to everything electronic, we can monitor anything,” he said.
He further advocated for harsher punishments for terrorism and kidnapping, citing examples from other countries.
“In countries like Saudi Arabia and Middle East nations, they’ve made it in such a way that nobody is set free once you are charged with aspects of terrorism,” he said.
“I think we need to make it very punitive. The kidnapping issue, the way it’s been treated in courts — you’ll get somebody arrested, and the cases are prolonged, it doesn’t make it well,” he added.
Musa’s call aligns with the Senate’s current efforts to stiffen anti-kidnapping laws by proposing the death penalty for convicted kidnappers and those who finance or aid them, as part of amendments to the 2022 Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act.
