29 days to the inauguration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu as President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, efforts are being made to put a national security team in place and build a personal security lineup around the incoming president from the various security outfits, specifically from the Presidential Guards Brigade and the Department of State Security....CONTINUE READING
The entire country has, in recent years, been plagued by insecurity with terrorism in the northeast, banditry and kidnapping in the northwest and north central, economic sabotage in the south-south and talks of secession in the southeast and even the southwest…..CONTINUE READING
Stakeholders in some states experiencing insecurity and in public institutions are urging the incoming president to build a security team that will be unbiased and unhindered by religious and tribal sentiments to secure the country within constitutional means.
Investigation by LEADERSHIP Sunday indicates that who Tinubu is likely to appoint as his National Security Adviser is a well-guarded secret, but one that will not only shape the character of his presidency, but also determine other key appointments.
Since 1999, the office of the NSA has been the most important cabinet appointment made by a president with powers stretching across all arms of government and agencies. In the government of Muhammadu Buhari for instance, the entire security vote of the president is managed by the office of the NSA.
And during Olusegun Obasanjo’s regime, $1 could not be moved from the country’s foreign reserves by the Central Bank of Nigeria without the go ahead of the president or his NSA. Recently, the CBN has had more freedom to spend from the reserves. One consequence has been the trapped funds of foreign airlines.
A former staff at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) Kuru- Jos, has however advised the incoming president to stick to the established tradition of appointing an NSA from the ranks of military officers and those that retired from the military.
The ex-NIPSS official who spoke to LEADERSHIP Sunday on the condition of anonymity because he still works within government circles said that the Nigerian military may not respect a civilian appointed as NSA, which could cause unnecessary friction in the smooth running of government.
The former NIPSS directing officer, who retired in the Nigerian military as an Army General, said it is not out of place for a civilian to be appointed NSA, but added that it is more reliable to get a retired military general to man such an office.
“The whole military will report to the NSA. If you put a civilian in that office, they may not respect him.
“If it were before, not only the service chiefs, even commanders would not want to respect him because he or she is a civilian.
“The military may not want to respect a non-military man as NSA, but it is more convenient to have a military person as the NSA,” he said.
The retired military general said the US always appoints retired military men as their NSA even though he admits that there are some occasions where civilians are appointed into such an office.
“During our time, we only focused on the job and doing the right thing. Before, commanders didn’t even salute a governor. But now, they are saluting the Secretary to the State Government. So, if you appoint a civilian now, they can blend. But once the military can’t submit to such a person, there will be a problem.”
The Armed Forces, saddled with the responsibility of protecting the country, are also the backbone of any democratic government and for the eight years he has been in power, President Buhari rarely attended public functions related policy issues, whether on education or health, except military ceremonies where he was consistent.
Buhari, like previous presidents, upon coming into office, made early changes in the national security team and appointing service chiefs. The Chief of Defence, Lt. General Lucky E.O Irabor, the Chief of Naval Staff,
Admiral Zubairu Gambo and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Isiaka Amao were all appointed in January 2021, while the Chief Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Farouk Yahaya was appointed in May 2021 after the death of his predecessor, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, in a plane crash.
The predecessors the present service chiefs were however in office for more than five years having been appointed by President Buhari in August 2015. The president mostly ignored the clamour by Nigerians change them and also the grumbling of junior office.
Their lengthy stay in office however built trust and confidence between the presidency and the top hierarchy of the military. Buhari also favoured officers from the northeast in the appointment of service chiefs because of the level of insecurity in the region.
In Borno State, where citizens have been the most affected by the Boko Haram insurgency with thousands of people displaced, the government sees an opportunity to further improve security and collaboration between the federal and state governments because a former governor of the state is about to become Vice President.
The Senior Special Assistant to Governor Babagana Zulum on publicity, Hon. Lanre Obadiah said yesterday that what people naturally want is a situation where everyone can sleep with their eyes closed without any fear.
He said, “People can travel at anytime both day and night. With the renewal of the governor’s mandate, people will expect to see heightened security, a return to the glorious days of the past when Borno was known as home of peace, when peace and security was taken for granted because there was nothing to fear then.”
He said, “In the next dispensation, the people will want consolidation of the previous achievement of the governor. And with the emergence of Sen. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as president- elect, alongside Sen. Kashim Shettima who is his Vice President, Borno is indeed lucky. Collaboration between the federal and state government will boost the economy and security of Borno State,” Obadiah said.
LEADERSHIP Sunday gathered that some heads of the security agencies have just had their tenures extended by the outgoing government and the new president may be hesitant to replace them immediately. Expectations are that the president-elect may likely retain the leadership of the Brigade of Guards for now.
President Muhammadu Buhari will on 29 May 2023 hand over power to President-elect Bola Tinubu during a colourful parade by the Guards Brigade.
This is despite criticism and controversies surrounding the conduct of February 25, 2023 presidential elections and the announcement of Tinubu as president-elect.
While there have been calls and counter arguments for an interim government, the military has declared support for President-elect Tinubu.
And the Presidential Guards Brigade of the Nigerian Army, saddled with the responsibility of protecting the President, has stepped up preparations for the inauguration day, with media reports saying Tinubu has been assigned an Aide De Camp (ADC), Lt. Col. Nurudeen Yusuf.
Yusuf, in 2017 served the Nigerian Army as Staff Officer Grade 1 for the Nigerian Army Intelligence Corp (NAIC).
From 2020 to 2022, Yusuf served at Nigerian Defence Section, in Paris, France as DDA Librarian, and until his name was linked to serving as Tinubu’s ADC.
In 2008, Yusuf completed the Tactical Intelligence Officers and Security Investigations courses to improve his capabilities as a military officer.
Between 2009 and 2018, the multilingual officer, who is fluent in Yoruba, Hausa, English and French, had several military trainings in Mali, Pakistan, China, Israel and the United Kingdom.
The trainings include Military Intelligence Basic Officers Course (Mali); Junior Staff Course (China); Officers Advanced Intelligence Course, SMI, (Pakistan) Advanced Command and Staff Course (Shrivenham UK).
He served as an officer in charge (Technical) for 119 Intelligence Group, Lagos. He was thereafter transferred to HQ 4 Brigade, Benin, where he served as Operations Officer.He also served as Officer Commanding at State House Military Intelligence Group and in 2015, he was promoted to Officer Commanding, Presidential Body Guard, State House, Abuja.
However, the Director Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu said he was not aware of such development. The Army spokesman said he has not been communicated as regards the appointment of an ADC for the president-elect.
The personal security of the president are those he those he trusts with his life and are the only aides who are with him 24 hours a day regardless of where in the world he is.
The Commander Guards Brigade Nigeria Army, Brigadier General Aminu Umar assumed command on January 20, 2023 and has pledged to be loyal and work towards achieving the vision of the Nigerian Army.
He took over from Major General Muhammed Takuti Usman who was been redeployed to 2 Division Nigerian Army as the General Officer Commanding (GOC) following the redeployment of senior officers across Nigerian Army formations.
As part of preparation for the swearing-in, the president-elect has moved to the Defence House under the protection of 7 Guards Battalion of the Nigerian Army.
DSS Directors For CSO Appointment
Also, investigations have revealed that Tinubu may likely appoint his chief security officer (CSO), from the Department of State Services with some directors being linked to the plump job.
Recall that late President Umaru Yar’Adua had assigned to him, the late Abdullahi Charanchi from the DSS as his CSO, briefly before he was replaced.
But Yar’Adua was more comfortable will Yusuf Tilde who was DSS director in Katsina when the late president was governor. And as fate would have it, Yar’Adua would develop health challenges that threatened his position as president and eventually cost him his life.
While the politicians were quick to dessert the late president, Tilde along with the then Chief of Army Staff, Abdulrahman Danbazau would remain loyal until the president, commander in chief breathed his very last breath.
Also, late Godwin Obuah of the DSS was the chief security officer to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.
President Muhammadu Buhari has also appointed three CSOs from the DSS.
Buhari had two months into his administration in July 2015 replaced his erstwhile CSO, Abdulrahman Mani, and requested the SSS to redeploy him out of the presidential villa.
He later appointed Bashir Abubakar, who later proceeded on an immediate “strategic course” at a university in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
He was promptly replaced by Idris Kassim Ahmed.
Among the names been mentioned to take over as the CSO to Tinubu include the director of the DSS, Lagos, the DSS Director, Sheikh Mohammed Waziri, who has had a good run and less controversies on the job.
Also, the DSS director in Ogun State, Femi Aaron has been listed as top favourite for the job.
Also, DSS director in Kaduna, Mr Abdul Enachie is also a front runner for the CSO job, while Enugu State director, DSS, Habu Maina Daluwa could also get the job if the odds favour him…..CONTINUE READING
