Senator Call NSA to Resign
An All Progressives Congress (APC), senator Sani Musa, has called on Mr Babagana Monguno to resign as the National Security Adviser (NSA), stressing that describing the insecurity issue as disturbing is an understatement.
Musa made the call on Sunday, who decried the worsening security situation in the country. Senator Musa hails from Niger – one of the worst-hit states by terrorists’ activities.
In his opinion, Monguno, a retired major general and former head of defence intelligence, has no justification for serving as the country’s top security advisor, given the ongoing killings of innocent people.
“What proactive action has the NSA taken? We have to call a spade a spade. If I were the NSA in this country, I would tender my resignation because I have failed,” the lawmaker who represents Niger East senatorial district in the National Assembly said during his appearance on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics in Abuja.
“When they (terrorists) are creating cells, you do not wait until when you are attacked before acting. The intelligence being shared is a pre-information given to you at a stage where these culprits have not concluded their plans, and you neutralise them. For me, I believe that we need to restrategise.”
Armed non-state actors, including terrorists and robbers, have recently ramped up their operations, expanding their operations to include attacks on security apparatus, including the Abuja prison and several security formations.
One such instance is the alleged killing of some soldiers during an attack on members of the Presidential Guards Brigade, which guards the national capital and the seat of authority.
Mr Monguno last week said that the security agencies had changed their approach to dealing with the threat in response to the outcry about the deteriorating situation.
The opposition in the National Assembly, however, has given the President a two-week deadline to address the country’s security issues and has vowed to start an impeachment process against him if he does not comply.
Senator Musa acknowledged that the issue has gotten worse despite his claim that the administration as a whole is not responsible for it.
“To say the issue of insecurity is disturbing is an understatement. Nigeria is a country that is evolving, and we have never seen it like this since after the civil war,” said the lawmaker.
“We used to have armed forces that are reckoned; they have fought wars in other countries to bring peace to those countries, but today, the whole thing is different.”
