Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, has claimed that a leadership disagreement between the Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Air Force during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari affected military operations against insurgents.
Bwala made the disclosure during an appearance on The Link Up Podcast, a panel programme hosted by EchoRoom and released on Friday.
According to him, tensions between the leadership of both military institutions at the time sometimes resulted in troops being denied air support during critical operations.
He said the situation weakened coordination in the fight against insecurity but added that such challenges had been addressed under the current administration.
“I remember during Buhari there was this disagreement that was imported to be between the Chief of Air Staff and that of the Army, so that whenever an operation was undertaken, when they asked for air cover, there wouldn’t be support. In this administration, it is not so. There is coordination or cooperation,” Bwala said.
The presidential aide spoke while responding to concerns over alleged infiltration of security agencies by individuals linked to terrorist groups.
Bwala dismissed claims that members of the military deliberately protect or assist terrorists during attacks. He described such allegations as speculative unless backed by concrete evidence.
“I don’t think so. You see that’s a conjecture, except there’s a live case,” he stated.
However, he acknowledged that no institution is entirely immune from infiltration by criminal elements.
According to him, isolated cases involving security personnel have occurred in the past and should not be interpreted as evidence of widespread collaboration with insurgent groups.
“You cannot rule out the facts that they may have one or two agents in the army, anywhere else, that providing… Our police have always been arrested, and soldiers arrested involved in this kind of thing,” he said.
Bwala cited previous cases involving security personnel who were allegedly found collaborating with criminal networks. He argued that such incidents are not unique to Nigeria and occur in many countries around the world.
“This will happen anywhere in the world. Snowden was a contractor to the US national security. These are elements that can happen, and why I didn’t want to talk much on that is because there are measures we’re taking and we don’t want people to know,” he added.
The presidential aide also suggested that Nigeria’s security challenges have international dimensions. He pointed to incidents involving the display of Russian flags during protests in parts of northern Nigeria as an example of what he described as foreign interests attempting to influence events within the country.
“If you remember, there was a decision the Federal Government of Nigeria made at that time, immediately we started seeing these people in Nigeria lifting Russian flags,” he said.
Bwala further referred to comments previously made by United States Congressman Scott Perry regarding allegations that American intelligence agencies had funded extremist groups.
While noting that he could not verify the claims, he said such discussions have featured in international conversations about terrorism.
“I wouldn’t say that, but I will tell you what I saw. When they were having the congressional hearing, I don’t know whether it is true or not, because he’s not a Nigerian, but I’m just providing facts to you to tell you that conversations like that have gone on.
“Scott Perry was interrogating the CIA director and he was telling him that their congressional finding suggests that the CIA was funding Boko Haram, ISIS,” he said.
Bwala stressed that he was neither confirming nor rejecting the allegation but argued that Nigeria should pay attention to such claims whenever they emerge on the global stage.
“So, me, I’m not saying he’s right or he’s wrong. But what I’m saying is that an event like that has occurred, and as a country we cannot hear that and say you are a liar,” he added.
Speaking on the performance of President Tinubu’s administration, Bwala expressed confidence in the government’s economic and security policies.
He pointed to improvements in revenue generation and foreign reserves as indicators that the administration is on the right track.
“He has done more than enough to earn the trust of Nigerians,” he said.
The presidential aide concluded that the ultimate decision on the President’s political future rests with voters, adding that Nigerians would determine whether Tinubu deserves another term in office based on his performance.
