A cold war is raging between the National Security Adviser (NSA) retired Maj-Gen. Babagana Monguno and President Muhammadu Buhari’s Chief of Staff (CoS) Abba Kyari over coordination of national security matters, PRNigeria reports.
The Office of the NSA (ONSA), in a circular dated December 9, 2019, and titled ‘Disruption of National Framework by Unwarranted Meddlesomeness,’ accused the CoS of hijacking the coordination of security leadership of the country, a role statutorily reserved for his office.
The circular copied to all Service, Intelligence and Security Chiefs including the Ministers of Defence, Foreign Affairs, Interior and Police Affairs as well as the COS to the President.
Both the Monguno and Abba Kyari are from Borno State.
Part of the letter reads: “References A and B were sent in response to the request for Presidential intervention to sustain Internal Security operations of the police within the shortest possible time.
“However, the contents of the 2 references were in variance with Mr President’s verbal, directives. Consequently, ONSA scrutinized the documents further and sought clarification from Mr President who has directed that Reference B be disregarded by all parties as it was sent without his endorsement.
“While it is expected that all Heads of Security agencies, having spent many years in service would understand the means of passing directives from the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, it may be necessary to remind all, in the face of glaring breaches to that procedure.
“For clarification, other than direct verbal directives from the President, written directives ’emanating from Mr President would be conveyed with a copy of his manuscript directive or at minimum, bear his signature.
“Additionally, Mr President may convey directives to the Heads of defence and security apparatus through the NSA who Intelligence Community Committee, Joint Intelligence Board and General Security Appraisal Committee on behalf of the President and supervising Ministers of defence and security agencies.
“It should be noted that the Chief of Staff to the President does not direct the security apparatus of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, his job as it relates to security stops at conveying Mr. President’s written directives.
“Similarly, you are reminded that the Chief of Staff to the President is not a presiding head of security, neither is he sworn in an oath of defending the country. As such, unprofessional practices such as presiding over meetings with Service Chiefs and Heads of security organisations as well as Ambassadors and High Commissioners to the exclusion of the NSA and/or supervising Ministers are a violation of the constitution and directly undermine the authority of Mr President.
“Such acts and continuous meddlesomeness by the Chief of Staff have not only ruptured our security and defence efforts, but have slowed down any meaningful gain that Mr President has sought to achieve.
“Pursuant to the foregoing, you are by this letter directed to desist from these illegal acts that serve nothing but the continuous undermining of our national security framework. Any breach-of this directive will attract the displeasure of Mr President.”
What the ‘president told the NSA’
However, sources close to the presidency have accused the NSA of lacking in both competence and charisma as he is said to be ‘an absentee security adviser,’ especially at the times of urgent security challenges.
They said President Buhari had, in response to the circular, simply told Monguno to “mind his business and focus on his job”.
“Instead of facing his job, the NSA was accused of always travelling at the slightest excuse out of the country and sometimes with the President.
“Furthermore, during crisis periods the NSA is usually not around because he is travelling therefore making the COS to hold such crisis meetings with the services.
“It was against this back drop that PMB in his response told NSA stick to your job and don’t give order to the Service Chiefs. The PMB reply was that NSA should stick to his job,” the source noted.
There have been concerns about how messy and uncoordinated the nation’s security leadership has become, PRNigeria said.
All the Service Chiefs including the NSA were contacted by PRNigeria but there was no response. Same with inquiries from both the Director of Defence Information (DDI), Brig-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, and Director of Army Public Relations (DAPR), Col. Sagir Musa.
