Stakeholders have taken a look at the rising wave of terror and banditry, especially kidnapping, in the last few months and blamed the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration for its apparent lack of an effective security framework and coordination under Nuhu Ribadu as National Security Adviser.
Ribadu, former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), it would be recalled, was first named the President’s Security Adviser before he was elevated to the position of NSA during the formation of Tinubu’s cabinet.
As the National Security Adviser, all the heads of the Armed Forces, including the Chief of Defence Staff, the Inspector General of Police and Director of the Department of State Service (DSS), are supposed to report to Ribadu who should advise the president on appropriate measures to take at every turn. Curiously, the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, on Saturday, tendered his resignation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He was appointed in 2018 by former President Muhammadu Buhari, who extended his stay in office in December, 2021. A retired career Foreign Service officer, Abubakar had served as Senior Special Assistant to the President (SSAP) on Foreign Affairs/International Relations.
He had extensive experience working with the United Nations in peace support operations, mediation processes, preventive diplomacy, and good offices, as well as the promotion of good governance and respect for the rule of law and human rights.
The reasons for his resignation were not clear at the time of going to press.
In a brief chat with Abubakar, he said he simply visited the Presidency to brief the president on the security situation in the country and afterwards tendered his resignation.
“It’s a routine thing – from time to time, I brief Mr. President on situations in the country and today is no exception.
“After the briefing today, actually I tendered my resignation and Mr. President graciously approved and accepted the resignation.
“I thanked him for giving me the opportunity to serve Nigeria under his transformational leadership for a period, for an extended period of 15 months, which is very rare, by the way, to serve, to have the opportunity to serve two presidents at a stretch.
“So, I thanked him very well, and I promised to remain professional as we are professionally dedicated to our country and to noble causes,” he stated.
Queried further to know his reasons, he said: “There are quite a number of reasons one will do that, some personal family issues, but nothing very serious, actually, and the friendship will continue. I discussed with Mr. President, he understood very well.
The National Intelligence Agency (NIA) is a government division tasked with overseeing foreign intelligence and counterintelligence operations.
The functions of the NIA come within the purview of the NSA who is coordinator of security activities and advises the president on findings therefrom.
Chief Martin Onovo, the 2015 presidential candidate of the National Conscience Party (NCP), who spoke to Sunday Independent, said the position of National Security Adviser (NSA) should be for a top national security professional.
According to Onovo, current Head, Policy Positions, Movement for Fundamental Change (MFC), stated: “Mr. Nuhu Ribadu is principally a partisan politician. “He was a presidential candidate in Tinubu’s ACN and some political pundits have claimed he is still nursing a presidential ambition.[/i]⅙
[i]“The basic consideration for a partisan politician is political advantage. That can obscure and deform the judgment of a National Security Adviser. Many analysts criticised the appointment of Nuhu Ribadu as NSA. They were right. A partisan politician should not be appointed as NSA.
“Also, the political and professionally poor performance of Mr. Ribadu in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) makes it inappropriate to appoint him as NSA.
“Recall, as EFCC Chairman while Tinubu was governor, Ribadu said, ‘Tinubu and the rest … They cannot escape. It is a matter of time. ..After their tenure, they will be prosecuted. They remain indicted and are not fit to hold public positions’.
“Thereafter, he went to become presidential candidate in Tinubu’s ACN and today, he is serving Tinubu as NSA. The same Tinubu he indicted. That is an indication of the character of a person.
“The NSA must be a consummate professional that consistently makes strictly professional security assessments and plans, not a partisan politician that is desperate for political advantage.
“Therefore, the rise in terrorism, banditry, and kidnapping since the inception of the present government is not a surprise to us as Nuhu Ribadu is not a good candidate for the position.
“He may be more focused on his partisan political advantage than on national security.
“This is further complicated by the clear fact that his ruling party is the direct sponsor of insecurity and terrorism in Nigeria.
“Appointments are very critical because human resource is the highest resource.
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“According to His Lordship, Dr. Felix Ajakaye, Bishop of Ekiti Diocese, ‘We put the right people in the right positions for the right results’. So, if we truly want the right results, we must put the right persons in the right positions.”
Barrister Emeka Iheonu, a Lagos lawyer, while speaking with Sunday Independent, said: “I do not have the statistics to comment on the rise.
“I, however, believe that there has been a reduction in the rate of terrorism, banditry and kidnapping since the inception of the present government.
“Perhaps, there would have been a reduction, but the current condition and cost of living leading to more hunger and poverty levels in Nigeria, have not helped matters.
“Nuhu Ribadu may be experienced in the area of investigating and bringing fraudsters, armed robbers, etc, to book.
“I do not think he has the necessary expertise to be the NSA or coordinate the operations of the armed forces, para-military organisations, and the Nigeria Police in combating the activities of terrorists, bandits, kidnappers, etc.”
Hon. Charles Anike, National President Eastern Union (EU), on his own told Sunday Independent, that working with the best will always make one the best, even as working with the worst will in the same manner, make one the worst.
According to him, “This is exactly the case with Ribadu, former EFCC Chairman under former President Olusegun Obasanjo, and now NSA under President Tinubu.
“It is very bad that African politicians, especially the Nigerian politicians, do not know what it means to retain a good name, or rather do not believe that a good name is better than silver and gold.
“Otherwise, what should Ribadu be doing with Tinubu, who when he was the EFCC Chairman, reported that Tinubu was among the most corrupt governors.
“Shame on leaders, who like dogs, easily go back to their vomit.
“Ribadu would do well to fight terrorism under any other government, but not a government led by the same ‘corrupt’ Tinubu.
“The Bible says that the devil cannot cast out the devil. So, if the foundation is destroyed, what can the righteous do?
“For Ribadu to have lobbied and eventually became the NSA in Tinubu’s government, shows that integrity meant nothing to him.
“The escalation of terrorism, banditry, kidnappings and other threatening crimes are the result of the above. All these vices are by-products of the wrong foundation, please take note.”
Dr. Victor Mathew, a cleric and security expert, is the Executive Director, Kingdom Advocacy Network (KAN), stated: “This present government and its appointees from my assessment, has not lived up to expectation at all
“Many Nigerians were opposed to the appointment of Nuhu Ribadu as the NSA considering the enormity of the security challenges facing the nation.
“So far, he has not justified his occupation of that office and those who opposed his appointment are now vindicated.
“Ribadu is a politician and such a sensitive position should not be given to a politician, but a thoroughbred professional with no political leanings.
“As a security practitioner, I am alarmed and disturbed with the rise in terrorism and other violent crimes, while there is no strategic counter response and measures to combat this rise.
“Nigeria is so terrorised, bandits are having a field day and kidnapping is now a new normal.
“Constitutionally, the primary purpose of government is security and welfare of citizens, but with the figures escalating, the government is falling woefully in that regard.
“Terrorism, banditry and kidnapping is now a booming ‘industry’ in Nigeria. Nigerians are killed anyhow on a daily basis.
“Non state actors now dictate what happens to citizens; the people are helpless and hopeless. So, my assessment of the NSA is a scorecard of colossal failure, just like the government he is part of.”
Bishop Herbert Ekechukwu, an economist and cleric, while speaking with Sunday Independent, rather than dwelling on the position of the NSA, advised on how to curb insecurity in the country. According to him, “The surge in kidnapping, insecurity, banditry, etc, is of great concern to every observing citizen of Nigeria.
“This demands immediate attention and far reaching strategies to curb immediate and future occurrence. Information gathering and sharing among security agencies necessary to unravel kidnap syndicates , bandits, terrorists, etc.
“Community or grassroots participation. There should be a synergy between security operators with local leaders and residents to gather information, build trust and encourage cooperation. There is an urgent need for security reforms by creating community policing to enhance efficiency and effectiveness of security agencies.
“A hungry man is an angry man, hence, there is a need to promote job empowerment and poverty alleviation, as well as creating economic development and social progress.
There is a need to strengthen border security and prevent the influx of illegal weapons, criminals and terrorists.”
