President Mohammadu Buhari

For months on end, there has been insinuations and conjectures about how President Muhammadu Buhari’s délégation of his duties to some men of his inner circle and how domineering of his presidency this men have become. A section of the citizenry believes these men are the ones in charge of the affairs of the country and that all Buhari is interested in is enjoying the allure of presidential trappings. One might want to dismiss this as the handiwork of conspiracy theorists but then there are instances, many of them, when the conjectures of this conspiracy theorists have been validated by the realities on ground.

This perceived outsourcing of the crucial and strategic governmental processes to appointees, cronies or family members without recourse to the president’s imprimatur has done more harm than good to the nation.

The unrestrained power has given this men the opportunity to dabble into sociopolitical issues that are completely off limits for them. Such situations is the security affair of the country.

The security affair of any nation is sacrosanct and of utmost importance to the had of government, be it parliamentary, presidential or monarchical system of government, and it’s expected that issue of security should be treated with gravitas and delicacy. But in the case of Nigeria the situation is totally different, the handling of security has become one that’s garbed in the cloak of patronage. Where people who are not part of the security apparatchik or appointed in that regards are the ones dictating the settings of security arrangements.

This, however, has led to bad blood between these men who are bereft of military stratègem and those whose entire lives have been replete with security and military endeavours.

Nigeria’s national security adviser, Babagana Monguno, has accused s Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, of undue and dangerous interference on matters bordering on national security.

Consequently, Mr Monguno has fired a warning memo to all service chiefs to desist from taking further directives from Mr Kyari, the PREMIUM TIMES understands.

Mr Monguno said Mr Kyari’s directives to service chiefs were sometimes issued without the knowledge much less approval of the president, a practice he said has added to government’s failure to contain insecurity.

“Chief of staff to the president is not a presiding head of security, neither is he sworn to an oath of defending the country,” Mr Monguno, a retired major-general, said in the December 9, 2019, letter.

“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 continues meddlesomeness by chief of staff have not only ruptured our security an defence efforts, but have slowed down any meaningful gain that Mr President has sought to achieve.”

Mr Monguno’s letter comes as insecurity returns to centre stage as a major cause for worry among Nigerians.

Violent attacks linked to bandits, kidnappers, armed robbers and vandals have continued to claim multiple lives and properties across the country.

The president has repeatedly promised to curb the crises, many of which he met in office, but has largely failed like his predecessors.

Security experts, opposition and federal lawmakers have responded by advising the president to fire his service chiefs.

The service chiefs have been unable to snuff out the threat of Boko Haram insurgents since 2015 when Mr Buhari named them to take charge of various arms of the nation’s security architecture.

While previously proclaimed expance of land have been taken back from terrorists, deadly attacks on civilians and military targets have aggravated since 2018.
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National security sources told PREMIUM TIMES on Monday that the fresh memo showed how Mr Kyari has helped in keeping the service chiefs in office despite overwhelming call for their ouster.

It also made evident the frustration faced by Mr Monguno and others who found Mr Kyari’s influence over the president too domineering for national benefit, sources said.

ead below the full content of Mr Monguno’s letter, which was copied to the president and ministers for foreign affairs, defence, interior, police affairs and Mr Kyari himself.
DISRUPTION OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY FRAMEWORK BY UNWARRANTED MEDDLESOMENESS
References:
A. SH/COS/46/2/1429 dated 13 September 2019
B. SH/COS/26/5/A/2609 dated 26 November 2019
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.

2. While it is expected that all heads of security agencies, having spent many years in service would understand 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 chairs the Intelligence Community Committee, Joint Intelligence Board and General Security Appraisal Committee on behalf of the President and the supervising ministers of defence and security agencies.
It should be noted that the Chief of Staff to the President does not direct security apparatus of the Federal Republic of Nigeria — his job as it relates to security stops at conveying Mr President’s written directives.

3. Similarly, you are reminded that the Chief of Staff to the President is not a presiding head of security, neither is he sworn to 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.

4. As professionals, you are aware that the security of the Federal Republic of Nigeria requires concerted and centralized effort taking into account internal, external and diplomatic factors.
It is therefore detrimental to our collective security that the Chief of Staff who is a non-supervising minister holds meetings with diplomats, security chiefs and heads of agencies.

5. 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 displeasure of Mr President.
Babagana Monguno
Major-General (rtd)
National Security Adviser
December 9, 2019.