Northern Elders Demand Sack Of NSA Over NDA Attack

Northern Elders have called for the review of security
architecture and the immediate sack of the National Security
Adviser, Major General Babagana Monguno (Rtd) over the attack on
the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA).

The group attributed Tuesday’s morning attack by bandits, which
left two military officers dead and one other abducted to failure
of Nigeria’s intelligence network.

The Nigerian Army had earlier confirmed the killing of two of
its officers and abduction of a senior officer at the Nigerian
Defence Academy (NDA) in Afaka, Kaduna State.

Witnesses said the bandits came in a large number in the early
hours of Tuesday, adding that apart from the officers killed and
kidnapped, some others sustained gunshot injuries and are receiving
treatment at the NDA hospital.

The organisation, in a statement following the attack, also
sought an in-depth review of the entire security architecture as
according to them, the entire security chiefs must bear the
blame.

The group under the aegis of Coalition of Northern Elders for
Peace and Development (CNEPD), in the statement by its national
coordinator, Engr. Zana Goni, while blaming President Muhammadu
Buhari for leaving Monguno behind at the time he replaced service
chiefs, expressed unflinching support to the President and the
ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Maintaining that their position was based on patriotism to the
country, the elders insisted that it was time for the President to
do away with Monguno following the worsening insecurity in the
country.

The deteriorating security situation, according to the
Coalition, is a sign that Monguno, who manages the nation’s
security was not on top of his game.

The statement berated stakeholders in the region over what the
group described as “their long silence in the face of unbearable
criminal acts by armed herdsmen and insecurity across the country
‘thereby giving a bad image of the region.”

“We find it once more expedient to comment on the worsening
security situation in the country, especially the latest attack on
a military formation,the Nigerian Defence Academy, which is the
institution where future military leaders are trained.

“We woke up to the sad news of the attack on the NDA, leaving
two officers killed and another abducted by bandits with heavy
hearts. If it was not the confirmation of this unbelievable action
by the Academy’s spokesperson, Bashir Jajira, we would have still
been in doubt.

“The fact that a fortified military institution could be so
easily invaded by armed militias without resistance has left us
with the conclusion that no part of this country and no citizen,no
matter his or status is safe again.

“Without mincing words, we wish to attribute this ugly
development to intelligence failure and gaps in the capacity of our
armed forces. We wish to strongly say here that the attack is a
slap on the Nigeria intelligence community and the armed
forces.

“The retention of the National Security Adviser, General
Babagana Monguno at the time the president listened to the voice of
reason and replaced service chiefs, may be contributing to the
continuous deteriorating security situation in the country.

“Given the situation, we wish to humbly and respectively appeal
to our dear President, Muhammadu Buhari, to as a matter of urgent
national importance, replace the NSA, whose tenure since his
assumption of office,has been characterised by heightened Boko
Haram activities, banditry,kidnap for ransom and other heinous
crimes without end in sight.

We reinstate unequivocally that Monguno has failed to provide
useful advice to address the scourging insecurity in the country
and therefore,does not deserve continuous stay in office.

“As Northern elders,we have found it very important to call on
President Buhari to remove the National Security Adviser,
Major-General Babagana Monguno (retd), whose office and
responsibilities are critical to the achievement of comprehensive
security all over the country but hasn’t used the high esteem of
his office in any productive ways since his appointment as NSA.

‘The reason for this call is not farfetched. We believe that
Major-Gen Monguno was part of the gross failure associated with the
tenure of the former security chiefs and his continued presence in
office will make the success Buhari intended to achieve with the
changes very difficult, if not completely impossible.

‘It is important that the NSA be replaced and the security
architecture of the nation reviewed so that the process of
injecting fresh blood can be completed.

‘We believe that the service chiefs need a clean slate to
succeed as to avoid being tied to the springs of the past fatal
failures. This call is both patriotic and totally apolitical as
expected from a responsible group of elders in our dear region

‘It would be to the highest interests of Nigeria for the
president to heed this call and act on it immediately,” the group
stated.

Northern Elders have called for the review of security
architecture and the immediate sack of the National Security
Adviser, Major General Babagana Monguno (Rtd) over the attack on
the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA).

The group attributed Tuesday’s morning attack by bandits, which
left two military officers dead and one other abducted to failure
of Nigeria’s intelligence network.

The Nigerian Army had earlier confirmed the killing of two of
its officers and abduction of a senior officer at the Nigerian
Defence Academy (NDA) in Afaka, Kaduna State.

Witnesses said the bandits came in a large number in the early
hours of Tuesday, adding that apart from the officers killed and
kidnapped, some others sustained gunshot injuries and are receiving
treatment at the NDA hospital.

The organisation, in a statement following the attack, also
sought an in-depth review of the entire security architecture as
according to them, the entire security chiefs must bear the
blame.

The group under the aegis of Coalition of Northern Elders for
Peace and Development (CNEPD), in the statement by its national
coordinator, Engr. Zana Goni, while blaming President Muhammadu
Buhari for leaving Monguno behind at the time he replaced service
chiefs, expressed unflinching support to the President and the
ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Maintaining that their position was based on patriotism to the
country, the elders insisted that it was time for the President to
do away with Monguno following the worsening insecurity in the
country.

The deteriorating security situation, according to the
Coalition, is a sign that Monguno, who manages the nation’s
security was not on top of his game.

The statement berated stakeholders in the region over what the
group described as “their long silence in the face of unbearable
criminal acts by armed herdsmen and insecurity across the country
‘thereby giving a bad image of the region.”

“We find it once more expedient to comment on the worsening
security situation in the country, especially the latest attack on
a military formation,the Nigerian Defence Academy, which is the
institution where future military leaders are trained.

“We woke up to the sad news of the attack on the NDA, leaving
two officers killed and another abducted by bandits with heavy
hearts. If it was not the confirmation of this unbelievable action
by the Academy’s spokesperson, Bashir Jajira, we would have still
been in doubt.

“The fact that a fortified military institution could be so
easily invaded by armed militias without resistance has left us
with the conclusion that no part of this country and no citizen,no
matter his or status is safe again.

“Without mincing words, we wish to attribute this ugly
development to intelligence failure and gaps in the capacity of our
armed forces. We wish to strongly say here that the attack is a
slap on the Nigeria intelligence community and the armed
forces.

“The retention of the National Security Adviser, General
Babagana Monguno at the time the president listened to the voice of
reason and replaced service chiefs, may be contributing to the
continuous deteriorating security situation in the country.

“Given the situation, we wish to humbly and respectively appeal
to our dear President, Muhammadu Buhari, to as a matter of urgent
national importance, replace the NSA, whose tenure since his
assumption of office,has been characterised by heightened Boko
Haram activities, banditry,kidnap for ransom and other heinous
crimes without end in sight.

We reinstate unequivocally that Monguno has failed to provide
useful advice to address the scourging insecurity in the country
and therefore,does not deserve continuous stay in office.

“As Northern elders,we have found it very important to call on
President Buhari to remove the National Security Adviser,
Major-General Babagana Monguno (retd), whose office and
responsibilities are critical to the achievement of comprehensive
security all over the country but hasn’t used the high esteem of
his office in any productive ways since his appointment as NSA.

‘The reason for this call is not farfetched. We believe that
Major-Gen Monguno was part of the gross failure associated with the
tenure of the former security chiefs and his continued presence in
office will make the success Buhari intended to achieve with the
changes very difficult, if not completely impossible.

‘It is important that the NSA be replaced and the security
architecture of the nation reviewed so that the process of
injecting fresh blood can be completed.

‘We believe that the service chiefs need a clean slate to
succeed as to avoid being tied to the springs of the past fatal
failures. This call is both patriotic and totally apolitical as
expected from a responsible group of elders in our dear region

‘It would be to the highest interests of Nigeria for the
president to heed this call and act on it immediately,” the group
stated.