Beyond Bullets – General Musa’s Blueprint for Sustainable Peace in Nigeria 

Nigeria’s battle against insurgency, terrorism and banditry requires more than military might – it requires a fundamental transformation in how the nation approaches peacebuilding. General Christopher Gwabin Musa, Chief of Defence Staff of Nigeria (Head of the Nigerian Armed Forces), presents this vision in his recent book, Taking a Stand against Insurgency, Terrorism and Banditry: Admonition to Nigerian Youths, which offers a strategic roadmap that extends far beyond conventional security thinking. 

Drawing from his extensive experience as Chief of Defence Staff and former Theatre Commander of Operation HADIN KAI, General Musa understands that sustainable security cannot be achieved through force alone. His 17-chapter book serves as both a call to Nigerian youth, and a sophisticated analysis of what building genuine peace requires. 

The book’s central premise is clear: effective counterinsurgency demands winning hearts and minds, not just eliminating threats. As General Musa emphasises, insurgents thrive on discontent and grievances, and addressing these underlying issues is essential to preventing recruitment, and building lasting stability. 

The Positive Peace Framework – A Strategic Blueprint 

Chapter Five, Building a Culture of Peace, is dedicated to exploring the Institute for Economics & Peace’s Eight Pillars of Positive Peace as the way forward for Nigeria. This chapter represents the book’s strategic core, demonstrating how sustainable peace requires deliberate investment across the eight fundamental pillars: 

• Well-Functioning Government requires transparency, accountability and responsive public services that address citizen needs rather than fuel grievances.
• Sound Business Environment creates legitimate economic opportunities, reducing the appeal of criminal enterprises, while creating prosperity.
• Equitable Distribution of Resources ensures fair access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities, preventing the marginalisation that breeds resentment.
• Acceptance of the Rights of Others builds a culture of tolerance and respect for diversity, countering the discrimination that often underlies conflict.
• Good Relations with Neighbours applies both internationally and internally, promoting dialogue between different ethnic, religious and community groups.
• Free Flow of Information empowers citizens through reliable media and transparent communication, countering the misinformation that fuels division.
• High Levels of Human Capital invest in education, skills development and health, creating populations better equipped for constructive civic engagement.
• Low Levels of Corruption maintain institutional trust and ensure resources reach their intended purposes rather than feeding cycles of injustice. 

General Musa’s message to Nigerian youth recognises them as the primary architects of this transformation. Rather than passive recipients of security services, young Nigerians can be positioned as active agents capable of strengthening each pillar of Positive Peace. 

The book demonstrates how youth can champion government accountability, drive ethical entrepreneurship, advocate for resource equity, defend human rights, bridge community divides, promote media literacy, pursue education and reject corruption. This comprehensive approach transforms young people from potential recruits for extremist groups into builders of resilient, peaceful communities. 

Building resilience against extremism 

Perhaps most powerfully, General Musa emphasises resilience as a counterterrorism strategy. As he notes: “A population that possesses the ability to remain resilient in the face of terrorism – one that can maintain its composure and unity despite the chaos and fear – is one of the most overlooked yet potentially effective tools in the fight against terrorism.” 

This insight recognises that communities refusing to be intimidated or divided represent terrorism’s greatest defeat. By creating unity and maintaining values in the face of attacks, societies can undermine the very foundation upon which extremist strategies depend. 

A collective endeavour

Taking a Stand against Insurgency, Terrorism and Banditry ultimately presents peacebuilding as a collective responsibility requiring synergy between government, security forces, civil society, and each and every citizen. General Musa’s Chapter Five framework, utilising the Eight Pillars of Positive Peace as the strategic way forward, provides a practical blueprint for this unified effort. 

The book offers more than tactical guidance. It presents a vision of Nigeria where sustainable peace emerges not from the absence of violence, but from the presence of just institutions, economic opportunity, social cohesion and empowered communities. For organisations working to build peace from the ground up, this represents both validation of their approach and a powerful call for expanded engagement. 

The path beyond bullets requires building the very foundations that make violence unnecessary. General Musa’s blueprint, grounded in the proven principles of Positive Peace, offers Nigeria a roadmap towards that future.