Buhari goes tough on security chiefs
…Expresses anger over rising insecurity in the nation
…Tasks them to justify their continuous stay in office
…Orders NSA to meet with N’West/N’East Govs
Worried over the worsening security situation in the country, President Muhammadu Buhari, on Thursday, told heads of security agencies including the service chiefs that he will no longer tolerate excuses as he expects them to live up to expectations going forward.
Buhari, who gave the charge during a meeting with security heads at the Presidential Villa on Thursday, expressed displeasure over the lack of synergy among the security forces and asked them to work together to solve the nation’s security challenges.
Addressing State House correspondents at the end of the meeting, National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Monguno, said that the president was extremely unhappy with the happenings in the country.
He said that the president ordered him to meet with governors of the north-west and north east states in order to know the problems in their states and to find strategic solutions to them.
He said: “A meeting was just concluded between Mr. President and heads of the security agencies, that is the operational heads consisting of the Minister of Defence, the service chiefs and on the other hand, the intelligence components that consist of myself and the intelligence heads.
“Today’s (yesterday’s) meeting basically focused on recent developments. Mr. President has expressed great concern over the declining security situation in the country.
He is extremely unhappy about what is happening and he feels that, even though the security agencies are doing their best, their best is not good enough for him and wants and immediate reversal of the current trend and immediate reversal of our misfortunes in all their dimensions.
“Mr. President also told us clearly in no uncertain terms, that he and indeed the administration campaigned to power on the platform of three issues, fighting insecurity, overcoming our economic difficulties and dealing with the scourge of corruption.
More so, he noted that it takes common sense for anyone to understand that without security, the pursuit of the other two will just be an exercise in futility.
“He, therefore, warned the security agencies to take into consideration the wider implication of the gradual descent of the security of this country, he is not going to accept any further escalation of the security situation.
He also stated that no one was forced on him, he selected everyone individually based on what he feels their records had revealed and therefore, it is up to individual organisation to live up to the expectations.
“Again, Mr. President has also said that it is extremely important that we in the security agencies must ensure that we justify the leadership by not disappointing the populace.
He also pointed out the immediate areas of concern and these areas are also interlinked and we must find a way out, especially the issue of proliferation of drugs, small arms and light weapons.
Go beyond endless meetings for once, lead in this fight against insurgency, PDP tells Buhari
‘’These two issues also go hand in hand with the major issues of criminality in this country, be they banditry on one hand on the north west of Nigeria or terrorism in the north-east’’.
The president further told the heads of security agencies to justify their continuous stay in office as he expressed anger at their less than satisfactory performance so far.
He added that he will no longer accept further escalation in insecurity in the country, which has led to protests, especially in the northwest.
The NSA said the President told the security chiefs that they were not imposed on him, and that it was therefore up to them to prove themselves.
You must be logged in to post a comment.