The country’s security officials have been instructed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to create a new plan that would guide security operations.
Tinubu said he had a personal perspective about how security matters should be addressed for successful outcomes when he met with the nation’s security officials on Thursday for the first time since taking office.
The National Security Advisor (NSA), Babagana Munguno, recounted some of the events that took place during the meeting and stated that the President was adamant about the importance of collaboration amongst the intelligence heads.
Munguno claimed Tinubu made it clear to them that he would not put up with any security agency operating in opposition to one another.
The Chief of Defense Staff, General Lucky Irabor, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Farouk Yahaya, the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Isiaka Amao, and the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, were present at the meeting, which was the first since taking office.
Others include Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), and Yusuf Bichi, Director-General of the Department of State Service (DSS).
Munguno said, “the president commander in chief of the armed forces has just concluded a meeting of the general security appraisal committee consisting of the Chief of Staff service chiefs Inspector General of Police, and heads of the intelligence agencies.
“This is the very first meeting he’s had with the heads of the security agencies. The meeting last two hours.
“Having been briefed by the participants of the meeting, Mr. President, addressed prevailing issues confronting the nation in terms of insecurity and also mentioned his own philosophy towards dealing with national security issues.
“First and foremost, he appreciated the armed forces and intelligence agencies and the wider paramilitary agencies for the work they have been doing in the past couple of years. Their sacrifice, their loyalty, and he also paid tribute to those who died in defending this country, from the big menace of terrorism, insurgency banditry, Oil theft, sea robbery, piracy.
“The President has made it very, very clear that he’s determined to build on whatever gains have been made and to reverse misfortunes and turn the tide in our favour.
“As far as he’s concerned, this country should not be on its knees struggling while other countries are walking and achieving greater heights”.
Briefing State House Correspondents further on their deliberations, Munguno said the President revealed that in moving this country forward he needs the security agencies to redouble their efforts.
“He’s also pointed out that his own philosophy is one of contemporary security measures dealing with the requirements of the time.
“He has made it very clear that he will not accept a situation in which our fortunes keep declining. And his own trajectory is that national security has to be coordinated, there has to be wherever whatever it says whether it is a basket system, but there must be a clearing house”.
According to the NSA, all agencies are expected to work to achieve one single purpose. Working at cross purposes and colliding with each other is not something that he will condone.
“He has made it very, very clear that all the security agencies must comply with the demands of coordination, with the demands of frequent consultations and also timely reports which must be acted on.
“He is going to embark on a lot of reforms in terms of our security architecture, he is going to take a closer look at our misfortunes in the maritime domain, focusing particularly on the issues of oil theft, that is not going to tolerate. Wherever the problem is coming from it must be crushed as soon as possible.
“He is already mandated by the security agencies to come up with a blueprint as far as he knows as far as it’s concerned, it doesn’t have the luxury of time. And whatever changes will be made have to be done as soon as possible.
“The President also has decided that what ever ventures the armed forces are going to be engaged in, they must carry along those operatives in the theatre. They must be well fed, well kitted, motivated and given all that they require.
“The President has said clearly that he will do whatever is within his powers to enable the operational elements but the intelligence agencies must also make their work easy for them by providing the type of intelligence that they require to carry out the assignment”.
