General Christopher Gwabin Musa (rtd), Nigeria's Minister of Defence, has pledged to investigate allegations of human rights abuses by military personnel following a meeting with Kano-based lawyer Barrister Hamza Nuhu Dantani. Dantani disclosed the engagement on his official Facebook page on Wednesday, stating it was prompted by rising public complaints involving unlawful killings, arbitrary arrests and prolonged detentions allegedly carried out by members of the Nigerian armed forces. He presented several cases to the Minister, including the March 22, 2026 arrest and subsequent killing of Abdulrahman Mustapha under unclear circumstances. An investigation into that incident remains ongoing, with no decisive action taken so far.
Dantani also cited the April 4, 2026 death of a 14-year-old girl in Maiduguri, who was struck by a stray bullet inside her home. While the military denied responsibility, attributing the shooting to a Civilian Joint Task Force member, Dantani said strong indications point to a serving soldier. He raised concerns over Abdullahi Garba of Gwoza Local Government Area in Borno State, who has reportedly been held in military custody without formal charges after publicly urging political leaders to address insecurity. "There are many more cases that go unreported because victims are either too afraid or lack the capacity to speak out," Dantani said. The Minister assured that steps would be taken to investigate the allegations, improve military-civilian relations and sanction any officer found guilty of misconduct. He also facilitated contact with senior military officials to expedite resolution of some cases and urged citizens to respect the law and cooperate with security personnel.
The Defence Minister promises action on military abuses while the same forces continue detaining civilians like Abdullahi Garba without trial. If investigations are already open in cases like Mustapha's, then the delay itself undermines the credibility of those promises. A 14-year-old girl is dead in Maiduguri, and the military denies responsibility despite Dantani's claim of strong indications against a soldier. When complaints require a lawyer's direct access to the Minister to gain traction, it suggests ordinary victims have no meaningful recourse.
⚖️ NaijaBuzz Take is AI-assisted editorial opinion. All persons mentioned are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Full disclaimer →
