Education is Nigeria’s strongest weapon against extremism – Defence Minister Musa

Gen. Christopher Gwabin Musa (retd), Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, said the country is engaged in an asymmetric conflict where enemies use radicalisation and false narratives. He added that the most effective counter‑weapon is the truth taught in a secure classroom.

Speaking in Kaduna on Sunday while commissioning the Kaduna Christian Academy, a school built by the Department of State Services (DSS), he stated, “We are fighting an asymmetric war. The enemies of Nigeria use radicalisation and false narratives. Our best counter‑weapon is the truth taught in a safe classroom. The Kaduna Christian Academy, while serving the Christian community as named, stands as a symbol of interfaith harmony.”

Musa explained that a secure, educated, and enlightened mind is the best defence against those who spread chaos. He noted that many communities have faced threats ranging from banditry to violent extremism, often fueled by a lack of opportunities.

He said, “As Minister of Defence, I view this school as a critical military asset without a single rifle. An educated population is less susceptible to the propaganda of terrorists and separatists.”

Musa further explained that a literate society produces better local intelligence for security forces, adding that a child in a classroom today is a young adult who will reject a kidnapper’s ransom note tomorrow.

“I note proudly that the Department of State Services, in its wisdom, built this for a specific faith community without prejudice, proving that security has no religion, and development favours no ethnicity,” he stressed.

He said the DSS should also be seen in a different light as a builder of the future, noting that by constructing the academy for the Ungwan Bulus community, the Service has demonstrated that internal security is not just about surveillance and arrests but also about earning the people’s confidence.

Earlier, the chairman of the Northern Christian Association (NCA), Rev. Joseph John Hayab, said, “Kaduna Christian Academy stands today as a cradle of learning and formation, committed to nurturing not only intelligent minds but also disciplined character, responsible citizenship, and moral integrity. It is our firm belief that when education is rightly grounded, society is rightly shaped.”

He explained that the academy stands as a reminder that education is a bridge uniting rather than dividing and that the future of children is a shared responsibility that transcends religion, ethnicity, and background.

Rev. Hayab noted that the task of building a better society cannot rest on a few shoulders alone, saying that education remains one of the most enduring investments in peace, progress and national transformation, while individual support—whether through resources, partnerships or encouragement—can help strengthen and expand the initiative for greater impact.