The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has strongly rejected recent claims by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, that the country is winning the war against terrorism, calling such assertions “misleading, insensitive, and disconnected from reality.”
General Musa, who recently marked his second year in office, used the occasion to assert that the military had made significant strides in defeating terrorism and insurgency, while also hailing the role of the media in shaping positive narratives.
Speaking during a media chat in Abuja, Musa said, “In today’s battles, particularly against terrorism and insurgency, we are not only engaged in physical combat but also fighting a war for the hearts and minds of the people. In this non-kinetic theatre, the media is a powerful force.”
He added that kinetic military operations were being complemented with non-kinetic strategies that account for “over 70 per cent of the efforts required in modern asymmetric warfare.”
However, disputing that on Wednesday in a statement sent to THE WHISTLER, HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, accused the CDS of promoting a false narrative at the expense of victims of terrorism across the country.
“The truth is that the attempt by the CDS to paint a picture of success is not only misleading but patently false,” Onwubiko said in a statement.
“Verifiable global security reports, including the latest Global Terrorism Index, show that Nigeria remains one of the world’s most terrorised nations.”
Citing the 2025 Global Terrorism Index, HURIWA noted that Nigeria ranked 6th globally, up from 8th in both 2023 and 2024, with a terrorism impact score of 7.658. The report revealed that Nigeria recorded 565 terrorism-related deaths in 2024, a sharp increase from 533 in 2023 and 392 in 2022.
“How can the Chief of Defence Staff speak of victory when over 10,000 Nigerians have been killed in just two years under this administration?” Onwubiko asked. “The government’s own statistics contradict his claims.”
The Global Terrorism Index further pointed to the expanding operations of the Islamic State in the Sahel (IS-Sahel), which carried out 16 attacks in Nigeria in 2024 alone.
HURIWA also highlighted recent deadly attacks, including the June 24, killing of 17 Nigerian soldiers in Niger State by suspected terrorists. The Nigerian Army confirmed the incident, describing it as part of a larger offensive against a group of about 300 armed bandits.
“This is not an isolated case,” Onwubiko said. “Dozens of soldiers and thousands of civilians have been killed across Plateau, Zamfara, Benue, and other states. What victory is the CDS talking about?”
He referenced a September 2024 Boko Haram attack in Yobe State that left at least 81 people dead, as well as coordinated assaults that razed entire villages.
In its latest report released on May 29, 2025, Amnesty International revealed that over 10,217 people have been killed and 672 villages sacked since President Bola Tinubu assumed office in 2023.
According to the report, Benue State alone accounted for 6,896 deaths, followed by Plateau State with 2,630. In Zamfara State, 529 villages are reportedly under the control of bandits.
“These numbers are not speculation. They are the outcome of methodical investigations by credible human rights observers,” Onwubiko noted. “To ignore them is to spit in the face of grieving families and displaced communities.”
HURIWA also accused the military leadership of failing to deliver on promises to capture high-profile terrorists like Bello Turji, a notorious Fulani militia leader believed to be behind the deaths of over 10,000 Nigerians.
“One year ago, the CDS told us Bello Turji was on the run. Yet, just this week, over 100 people were reportedly killed by Turji’s men in Zamfara. What has been done about that?” Onwubiko asked.
He further criticised the military for releasing so-called “repentant terrorists” without subjecting them to judicial processes.
“Why are blood-soaked killers being granted amnesty while their victims lie in unmarked graves? This undermines both justice and the Constitution,” he said.
HURIWA called for an urgent national debate on security sector performance, accountability in defence spending, and an end to propaganda.
“We reject this media-driven self-praise by the CDS. Nigerians deserve facts, not fiction. The time has come for full accountability, not another round of empty boasts,” Onwubiko declared.