Christopher Musa, minister of defence, has said the current administration is making deliberate efforts to include selected social media influencers in military operations across conflict-affected regions of Nigeria, enabling them to gain firsthand insight into the challenges and realities faced by troops on the frontlines.

The minister disclosed this at the Nigerian People’s Strategic Conference (NPSC) and Defence Exhibition 2026 held on Saturday, June 13, in Abuja, where he argued that contemporary security challenges can no longer be addressed through military operations alone.

'Influencers may join troops' - Musa General Musa emphasised that terrorism has become an increasingly complex threat requiring collective national action. He said: “I've seen of recent a lot of social media giants going around trying to raise protests. Nobody is stopping anyone from protesting. But we should always remember the unintended consequences because you do that, distance might be hijacked, and people might be injured or killed.

“We are making efforts to see that we provide avenues for some of these media experts to be embedded with our troops when they are going on operation in the northeast, in the Northwest, in the north central, so that they have a feel of what the troops go through and the challenges ahead. Maybe they will have a better understanding.”

Insecurity in Nigeria: VeryDarkMan leads protest On Thursday, June 11, hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Abuja, led by social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), to demand government action against worsening insecurity, kidnappings and economic hardship across the country. Per Daily Trust, the demonstrators marched through parts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), chanting slogans such as “Terrorists Must Go,” “Kidnappers Must Go”, and “Bandits Must Go,” while accusing the government of failing to protect lives and property despite huge security spending.

The protest, which followed earlier demonstrations, attracted youths, civil society groups and other supporters. VDM and General Musa appear to share a cordial relationship. The activist held a private meeting with Musa on December 19, 2025, following a reported invitation from the military. The pair met again at the ministry of defence in May 2026.