The National Security Adviser (NSA), retired Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno, has dismissed speculation that Thursday’s meeting of the National Security Council discussed the fate of the country’s service chiefs.
Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari had on Thursday presided over
the 2020 maiden meeting of the National Security Council with
Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, Secretary to the Government of the
Federation, Boss Mustapha and the security chiefs in attendance.
The meeting came amidst calls in some quarters for the removal of the
service chiefs due to the ongoing security challenges in some parts of
the country.
Speaking to State House correspondents at the end of the security
meeting, Monguno said the council which is the highest security body in
the country chaired by the President, did not discuss the issue of the
service chiefs.
“The issue of the National Assembly resolution did not come up at the meeting,’’ he said.
The NSA said the quarterly meeting focused on appraisal of the
security situation across the country with a view to finding lasting
solutions to the problem.
He said: “The meeting basically made an appraisal of the current
security situation in the country and took a look at the possibilities,
the opportunities available to government in addressing most of the
recent challenges.
“There were discussions and at the end of the day, the most important
thing that we came up with is the need for collaboration, both between
governmental agencies and the larger Nigerian society because of the
type of the insurgencies we are faced with, the complexities, the
multiplicity of all kinds of issues.
“There is a need for both parties, governmental agencies on one hand
and the larger society to collaborate more vigorously. There is a need
for us to deal with these problems in a comprehensive manner.
“Therefore, council has decided to take a closer look at issues that
will help us not just at the federal level or at the state level, but
right down to the local government level.
“But this is going to be done after due consultations with the relevant stakeholders,’’ NAN quoted him as saying.