BY JULIET EKWENUGO
Kaduna
The Arewa Youth Development Association (AYDA) has criticised the Northern Youth Forum (NYF) over its vote of no confidence on the Minister of Defence, Christopher Gwabin Musa (rtd), describing the move as reckless and politically motivated.
Addressing a press conference on Thursday in Kaduna, the national president of AYDA, Comrade Ahmad Bello Rimi, said the demand for the minister’s removal reflected a lack of understanding of the country’s security architecture and the complexities involved in addressing insecurity.
Rimi said although many Nigerians are concerned about the recent surge in banditry, kidnappings and killings across parts of northern Nigeria, holding the defence minister solely responsible for the situation was misguided.
He noted that Musa, a retired general, had spent decades serving the country in the military and had continued to demonstrate commitment to tackling security challenges since assuming office as minister.
According to him, the minister recently convened a high-level meeting with service chiefs and the National Security Adviser to review security strategies and address operational challenges facing the armed forces in the fight against insurgency and banditry.
The AYDA president cautioned youth groups against politicising security matters, stressing that restoring peace requires coordinated efforts, intelligence sharing and sustained commitment from all stakeholders.
He called on the Northern Youth Forum to retract its statement and apologise to the defence minister and members of the Armed Forces.
Rimi also urged northern leaders, traditional rulers and youth groups to support ongoing efforts by the federal government to tackle insecurity across the country.
He reaffirmed the association’s support for the administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the defence minister, saying the government should be given the necessary support to implement strategies aimed at restoring peace in affected communities.
