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Tag: Service Chiefs

  • Insecurity: Why NSA Monguno did not attend Service Chiefs meeting with Buhari

    Insecurity: Why NSA Monguno did not attend Service Chiefs meeting with Buhari

    Presidential Adviser on National Security, Major General Babagana Monguno (redt) has gotten what seems a fresh Presidential endorsement just a week after his stinking memo to the Chief of Staff Abba Kyari was leaked.

    In a Presidential statement, the NSA was named Co-Chair along with Humanitarian Affairs Minister for the newly formed National Humanitarian Coordination Committee.

    A source in the presidency said “that is an indication that the President has no issues with the contents of the memo,” even though there are concerns in the Villa on how the memo was leaked.

    Also the source explained that National Security Adviser (NSA) Babagana Monguno did not attend the meeting between Service Chiefs and President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday because he was out of the country.

    It was revealed that the movement of the NSA has never been put in the public domain.

    “This is an intelligence matter, no one issues a statement stating that the NSA and other Service Chiefs are travelling, and that is so for security reasons.”

    The source explained that the movement of the NSA is not subject to public exposure. “The truth is that on Monday the President approved the constitution of a National Humanitarian Coordination Committee (NHCC) and he appointed the NSA as co-Chairman.

    “The NSA and the President have a smooth working relationship and the same can be said of his relationship with the Chief of Staff. I think Nigerians need to learn more about the sensitivity of the role of the NSA,” the source said.

    Some Nigerians on social media had raised eyebrow over the absence of the NSA at a meeting with Security Chiefs claiming that it could have been as a result of the memo leak from the Presidency.

    A letter by NSA Monguno to the Chief of Staff was leaked to the media by unknown persons.

    In the letter, Mr Monguno said Mr Kyari’s directives to service chiefs were sometimes issued without the knowledge, much less approval of the president, a practice he said has added to government’s failure to contain insecurity.

    “Chief of staff to the president is not a presiding head of security, neither is he sworn to an oath of defending the country,” Mr Monguno, a retired major-general, said in the December 9, 2019, letter.

    “As such, unprofessional practices such as presiding over meetings with service chiefs and heads of security organisations as well as ambassadors and high commissioners to the exclusion of the NSA and/or supervising ministers are a violation of the Constitution and directly undermine the authority of Mr President.

    “Such acts and continued meddlesomeness by chief of staff have not only ruptured our security an defence efforts, but have slowed down any meaningful gain that Mr President has sought to achieve.”

  • Insecurity: Again, Buhari meets Service Chiefs in Abuja

    Insecurity: Again, Buhari meets Service Chiefs in Abuja

    Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari on Monday held Special Consultation meeting with Service Chiefs at the State House, Abuja.

    This might not be unconnected with the rising wave of insecurity in the country, especially Boko Haram’s rampage in the North East.

    Service chiefs arrive for a meeting with Buhari

    Those in attendance were the Chief of Defence Staff, General Gabriel Olonisakin; Chief of Army Staff, Lt. – Gen Tukur Buratai; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Sadique Abubakar; the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ekwe Ibas.

    Buhari at a meeting with Service Chiefs

    The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Mohammed Adamu, also attended the meeting believed to centre on security challenges.

  • Insecurity: Why Buhari can’t sack Service Chiefs – SGF

    Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) has explained reasons why Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari cannot sack service chiefs now.

    He lashed out at those calling for their sack, saying that there are processes that must be followed to effect their sack.

    Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday, Mustapha admitted that the nation was in a very difficult time now and that everybody was needed to be on board.

    “We need synergy within intelligent community, within the military formations that will help fight this war. We are in a very difficult situation and when we begin to create cracks and divisions, who will be the beneficiaries? The adversaries are the ones that are going to exploit those deficiencies and further the cause of destabilising the nation,” he said.

    Mustapha, who spoke with newsmen after a book presentation titled: “CAN, Religion, politics and power in Nigeria,” by former General Secretary of Christian Association of Nigeria(CAN), Engr Samuel Salifu.

    According to him, what the government needed at this moment was for everybody to be on the same page, fight the battle of securing the nation for protecting lives and property and ensuring that every Nigerian had the opportunity to live a prosperous live.

    “I think that should be our main focus. You don’t sack people like that. There are processes and I believe that at the opportune time, those processes will be followed. You don’t just wake up and say sack people, it doesn’t happen like that,” he said

  • Insecurity: Why Buhari won’t sack Service Chiefs now – Presidency

    Insecurity: Why Buhari won’t sack Service Chiefs now – Presidency

    The repeated calls in some quarters for sack of the nation’s Service Chiefs due to the worsening security situation in the country might not be acceded to immediately.

    According to the presidency on Sunday night, President Muhammadu Buhari is not yet ready to dispense with their services.

    It was learnt that security reports before the President, indicate that “Nigeria is in a war situation”, as a result of which the President is weighing the options before him.

    A cross section of ethnic-based groups and others have been mounting pressure on the President to replace the service chiefs to give new impetus to the battle against insurgency.

    The renewed spate of killings by bandits in the North and the resurgence of Boko haram attacks have also fueled the agitation for the removal of the service chiefs.

    There is a plan to organise a protest on Monday against the service chiefs which the government said is sponsored.

    Many people have argued that the service chiefs’ continued stay in office beyond four years, has led to low morale in the military.

    But presidential spokesman Garba Shehu said on Sunday that: “Removal or sack of service chiefs does not stop all of what we are experiencing. Whether we like it or not, we are in a war situation. The President and the Commander-In-Chief is seeing things that others cannot see. This is why he deserves the benefit of the doubt.

    “How can they say the President does not care? His heart is there on how to secure and protect this nation. He is being briefed adequately by the service chiefs and others and he gives directives as the C-In-C.

    “It is people who don’t know what the government is doing that are saying the President does not care. They think security is like a market place where everybody is an expert.”

    Regarding the clamour for new ideas and strategy, Shehu added: “The strategy is always constantly being reviewed. Nothing is fixed.

    “The President is a military man; he has been working very hard with others on multiple solutions to the challenges at hand.

    It was learnt that more military hardware and personnel will be deployed in the frontline.

    About 3,000 soldiers will be commissioned in March or April for the battle against insurgents.

    The Air Force has already inaugurated over 2,000 new air men.

    For new equipment, Shehu said: “About 1,000 military hardware bought with military budget and special funds from the Presidency are on the high seas to strengthen the war against insurgency and banditry.”

    The Federal Government is hopeful of taking delivery of 12 A-29 Super Tucano fighter jets from the United States.

    The contract was awarded to Sierra Nevada Corporation, an American aerospace contractor.

    Shehu said: “While the military arsenal is not something you pay for and get, requiring mostly long-time orders, weapons will come in accordance with the terms of contracts.

    “This country is expecting the commencement of the delivery of Super Tucano fighter jets, very effective in this kind of warfare, beginning next year from the United States.’’

    Shehu explained the security problems are not peculiar to Nigeria as many African countries are under threat.

    He said the security challenges were given serious attention at last week’s African Union (AU) meeting in Addis Ababa.

    “So much is happening but there is a regional nature of the challenges. At the last AU meeting, there were fears being expressed that terrorists might take over some African states.

    “Some people can say that some of these countries are far from us, the truth is that the Sahel Region has a problem.

    “The insurgents are carrying out attacks and raids in some countries like Nigeria which they consider lucrative because they abduct or kidnap and collect ransom and they raid to loot.”

    “The new AU chairman, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has promised two Special Summits of the organization this year bordering on security and African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

  • 2000 miscreants hired to protest against Service Chiefs on Monday, Presidency raises alarm

    The Presidency, on Saturday, alleged of a plot by the opposition represented by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), to hire about 2000 persons to participate in an ‘orchestrated’ protest march against the nation’s security service chiefs.

    Revealing this is a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, the Presidency also revealed that a recent clip showing a few persons booing during President Muhammadu Buhari’s sympathy visit to Maiduguri last week was part of a scheme to sell a lie about the administration to the undescerning.

    The statement, however, described those behind the planned protest, which it said followed in the pattern of those recently mounted against justices of the Supreme Court, as beneficiaries of the Boko Haram terrorrism.

    It, however, advised the general public, including the media to be wary of the alleged antics of those it accused of plotting to embarrass the administration of President Buhari and plotting against Nigeria.

    “The Presidency wishes to caution a section of the political class against misleading the public and inciting protests against the heads of military institutions.

    “This has become necessary in view of received reports that about two thousand men and women have been hired to demonstrate against Nigeria’s service chiefs on Monday.

    “This imminent gathering is the latest in a series of demonstrations orchestrated by the opposition to embarrass the government of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    “As part of this overall scheme, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, with its belligerent politics, has been marching from one embassy to the other in protest against the Buhari administration and the nation’s highest court of justice, the Supreme Court. They are keen to give the impression that Nigerians are in support of them as they take to the streets, and they will go to any length to promote this false narrative.

    “The recent incident in Maiduguri, Borno State, where an overwhelmingly cheering crowd gathered to welcome President Buhari, while a handful were recorded booing him, is a part this elaborate scheme. It is misleading, as some analysts have tried to do, to read this as verdict against President Buhari, who emerged winner with 94 per cent of the votes cast in the Presidential election in the state in February last year.

    “This was clearly a hired few, but the news was promoted by the opposition who had of course positioned themselves to record the booing – all just to embarrass the President.

    “We urge the media to remain unbiased and discerning in their reporting, instead of becoming unwitting tools in the hands of the opposition.

    “A group of politicians and beneficiaries of the Boko Haram insurgency is right now paying for people to join their planned protest against our country’s service chiefs, and they will no doubt seek the media’s collaboration on this as usual.

    “But there is news and there is promoted content – two very different things, one of which should never make the headlines as these recent fake protests have done”, the statement said.

  • Mounting Insecurity: What Buhari, Service Chiefs discussed

    Mounting Insecurity: What Buhari, Service Chiefs discussed

    The federal government has said it will tackle the myriad of security challenges across the country through collaboration between governmental agencies and the general public.

    This was the outcome of the quarterly National Security Council meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House, Abuja on Thursday.

    The meeting, which came barely 24 hours after the House Representatives adopted a resolution, calling on President Buhari to sack his service chiefs for alleged inability to possess the capacity to halt the worsening security crisis across the country, however did not address the call for sack and other similar outcries.

    Those in attendance are the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Boss Mustapha; Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari; Minister of Defense Maj. Gen. Bashir Salihi Mahashi (Rtd.); Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; the National Security Adviser (NSA) Maj. Gen. Babagana Monguno (Rtd.) and the Minister of Police Affairs, Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi

    Service chiefs in attendance include the Chief of Defense Staff General Gabriel Olonisakin; Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ekwe Ibas; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Sadique Abubakar; Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu; Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ahmed Rafa’i Abubakar; and the Director-General of the Directorate of State Services (DSS) Yusuf Magaji Bichi.

    However, briefing State House Correspondents after the meeting, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Monguno, said the council had resolved to tackle the security crisis across the country by bringing all Nigerians along in the journey to finding solution.

    Monguno was accompanied to the briefing by the Ministers of Defense, Police Affairs, Interior, Inspector-General of Police and the Director-General of the DSS.

    He said the kind of solution being sought would not only serve the federal government, but also states and council areas.

    “We just concluded a meeting of the National Security Council. The National Security Council is the highest security body in the country, chaired by His Excellency, the President.

    “We normally hold these meetings on a quarterly basis and this is the first in the year.

    “We scheduled this meeting for this morning and the meeting basically made an appraisal of the current security situation in the country and took a look at the possibilities there are opportunities available to government in addressing most of the recent challenges.

    “There were discussions and at the end of the day the most important thing that we came up with is the need for collaboration between governmental agencies and the larger Nigerian society because of the type of the insurgencies we are faced with, the complexities, the multiplicity of all kind of issues.

    “There is a need for both parties- governmental agencies on one hand and the larger society, to collaborate more vigorously.

    “There is a need for us to deal with these problems in a comprehensive manner.

    “Therefore, council has decided to take a closer look at issues that will help us not just at the federal level or at the state level, but right down to the local government level.

    “But this is going to be done after due consultations with the relevant stakeholders,” he said.

    When asked if the council gave attention to the House of Representatives’ call for the sack of service chiefs, Monguno said “the issue of the National Assembly resolution did not come up at the meeting”.

    Asked to give a perspective to the nature of the security crisis the country currently faces, the security chief said: “The major challenges are multidimensional in terms of security, challenges are both internal, external and Defence related as well as diplomatic as well as economic. So you will begin to appreciate the extent to which we need to work.

    “These major challenges every ministry, department and agency is aware of the aspect it has to deal with and I am sure yesterday, after the Federal Executive Council meeting, you are aware the minister of works talked about his own area, likewise other ministries, departments and agencies are working.

    “The issue of security in the context of the 21st Century is not an issue of just arms and ammunition or robbers and gangsters, it’s a multiple situation, the canvass is very, very expensive and we are looking at it in a comprehensive manner.

    “The challenges all of us are aware of and that is why in a nutshell, I said, there is a need for this government and the larger society to work together to find a solution to this problem.

    “No one is oblivious of the enormity of the problem at hand. Government is aware and that is why we had this meeting at the highest level.”

  • Security Meeting: No discussion on fate of Service Chiefs – NSA, Monguno

    The National Security Adviser (NSA), retired Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno, has dismissed speculation in some quarters that Thursday’s meeting of the National Security Council discussed the fate of the country’s service chiefs.

    President Muhammadu Buhari had on Thursday presided over the 2020 maiden meeting of the National Security Council with Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha and the security chiefs in attendance.

    The meeting came amidst calls in some quarters for the removal of the service chiefs due to the ongoing security challenges in some parts of the country.

    The House of Representatives had on Wednesday called on the service chiefs to either resign or be sacked in view of their inability to proffer solutions to the nation security challenges.

    Monguno, however, told State House correspondents at the end of the security meeting that the council which is the highest security body in the country chaired by the President, did not discuss the issue of the service chiefs.

    “The issue of the National Assembly resolution did not come up at the meeting,’’ he said.

    The NSA said the quarterly meeting focused on appraisal of the security situation across the country with a view to finding lasting solutions to the problem.

    He said: “The meeting basically made an appraisal of the current security situation in the country and took a look at the possibilities, the opportunities available to government in addressing most of the recent challenges.

    “There were discussions and at the end of the day, the most important thing that we came up with is the need for collaboration, both between governmental agencies and the larger Nigerian society because of the type of the insurgencies we are faced with, the complexities, the multiplicity of all kinds of issues.

    “There is a need for both parties, governmental agencies on one hand and the larger society to collaborate more vigorously. There is a need for us to deal with these problems in a comprehensive manner.

    “Therefore, council has decided to take a closer look at issues that will help us not just at the federal level or at the state level, but right down to the local government level.

    “But this is going to be done after due consultations with the relevant stakeholders,’’ the NSA said.

  • Photos, Video: Buhari, security chiefs in closed door meeting in Abuja

    Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday met behind closed door with security chiefs at the State House, Abuja.

    The meeting might not be unconnected with rising wave of insecurity in the nation.

    Watch video below:

    Those in attendance include Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha; Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari; Minister of Defense Maj. Gen. Bashir Salihi Mahashi (Rtd.); Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; and the National Security Adviser (NSA) Maj. Gen. Babagana Monguno (Rtd.).

    Buhari with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the meeting

    Service chiefs in attendance include the Chief of Defense Staff, General Gabriel Olonisakin; Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ekwe Ibas; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Sadique Abubakar; Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu; Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ahmed Rafa’i Abubakar; and the Director-General of the Directorate of State Services (DSS) Yusuf Magaji Bichi.

  • Reps call for resignation of Service Chiefs

    The House of Representatives has called for the resignation of all Service Chiefs following the deteriorating security situation in the country.

    This was sequel to the unanimous adoption of a motion by Rep. Mohammed Monguno (APC-Borno) at plenary on Wednesday.

    The House urged President Muhammadu Buhari to sack the Service Chiefs, if they fail to resign.

    Moving the motion earlier, Monguno said that territorial integrity of Nigeria was being threatened following the resurgence of insurgency in the North East.

    Mongonu who represents Monguno/Marte/Nganzai Federal Constituency of Borno said that the attacks by the Boko Haram insurgents in the North-East zone have lingered for more than seven years.

    He recalled that when President Muhammadu Buhari came into power in 2015, the activities of insurgents were reduced to the barest minimum.

    Monguno said that the feat achieved by the Nigerian Armed Forces had led to increased economic activities within the North-East zone.

    He however said, “Recently, the Boko Haram insurgents who were relegated to the background are now unleashing terror in Borno and Yobe states.

    “The insurgents have forced the Nigerian Military to close traffic on the Damaturu-Maiduguri road for some days; the Damaturu-Maiduguri road is the only access from Maiduguri to other parts of Nigeria.

    “The closure of the road is an indication that the Boko Haram insurgents have seized the road and attacked communities on that axis.”

    According to him, incessant attacks on communities along the Damaturu-Maiduguri road, have forced the residents to flee to refugee camps in Maiduguri for safety.

    Also, Rep. Ahmadu Jaha (APC-Borno) called for the sacking of the service chiefs, saying that they have failed to decimate Boko Haram in the North-East.

    Jaha who represents Chibok/Damboa/Gwoza Federal Constituency of Borno said that contrary to the claims by the military, his constituents were still being attacked and displaced.

    “I know what I am saying; I know that tomorrow, people can come for me; I am calling for immediate removal of all the service chiefs and their immediate replacement with competent ones.

    “The truth of the matter is that they have overstayed and the officers under them are not stimulated (motivated) to work, perform and to end this war,” he said.

    After unanimous adoption of the motion, the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila mandated the Committee on Defece to ensure implementation of the resolution.

  • JUST IN: Service Chiefs make U-turn, honour Gbajabiamila’s invitation

    JUST IN: Service Chiefs make U-turn, honour Gbajabiamila’s invitation

    Sequel to the botched security meeting of last week, the House of Representatives leadership and relevant committees are set for another meeting with Service Chiefs.

    The stage is set as the Speaker of the House, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamola has just arrived the venue

    Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila on Friday vowed to report Security Chiefs personally to President Muhammadu Buhari for snubbing a security meeting convened by the House of Representatives.

    The meeting with the Security Chiefs for briefing on the anti-terrorism war was postponed till today.

    Details shortly…