Tag: Babagana Monguno

Buhari Orders Overhaul Of Nigeria’s Security Apparatus

President Muhammadu Buhari presides over Security Council Meeting

 

President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the reengineering of the nation’s entire security apparatus.

This is according to the National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Monguno.

Mr. Monguno briefed journalists on Tuesday after the third National Security Council meeting in 2020 chaired by President Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

The nation’s security adviser called for calm, promising that the President along with the Service Chiefs is doing a lot to handle the insecurity in the northwest and north-central states.

He said that apart from the security situation in the country, the issue of drug addiction and trafficking was addressed at the meeting.

According to him,  Nigeria has moved from a transit hub to a drug production centre.

He noted that 17 meth labs were recently shut down in the country and called for a wholesome national approach to stopping the drug menace.

Also during the meeting, the heads of various intelligence briefed on their plans towards ending insecurity in the country.

The NSA further addressed the recent attack on the Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum and his convoy, and the accusations of sabotage in the war on terror by the governor.

Mr. Monguno, expressing his displeasure with the situation, said that governor Zulum will be attending the virtual NGF meeting in a few minutes, and only then can a concise statement on the matter be given.

On the Southern Kaduna Killings, the NSA said it is a political matter and the state governor is doing his best to tackle the situation.

The meeting was attended by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, the Chief of Staff to the President, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Boss Mustapha, and the National Security Adviser, NSA, Major General Babagana Monguno (retd).

Others are the Service Chiefs led by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Gabriel Olonisakin, the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ekwe Ibas and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar.

Also present were the Inspector General of Police, IGP Mohammed Adamu, the Director-General of National, Department of State Services, DSS, Yusuf Bichi, the Director-General, National Intelligence Agency, NIA, Ahmed Rufa’i, and the Directorate of Military Intelligence.

The Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF, and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, was in attendance alongside some ministers, they are the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, the Minister of Defence, Bashir Magashi, the Minister of Police Affairs, Mohammad Dingyadi and the Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Zubairu Dada.

Buhari Sets Up Committee To Coordinate Humanitarian Actions

Atiku, Ezekwesili Absent As Buhari And Other Candidates Sign Peace Accord
File photo of President Muhammadu Buhari signing a document.

 

 

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the constitution of a National Humanitarian Coordination Committee (NHCC) to oversee all humanitarian actions in the country.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, announced this in a statement on Monday.

According to Adesina, the committee will, among others, provide a national vision for humanitarian actions and advise on coordination between the security services and humanitarian actors.

The committee is also mandated to settle disputes that may arise from interactions between security services and the humanitarian community.

Its other functions include to propose policies that enhance coordination and seamless delivery of humanitarian aid to affected communities, facilitate delivery of humanitarian interventions to vulnerable persons, as well as promote transparency and accountability in all aspects of humanitarian delivery in the country.

The NHCC would be chaired by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouk, as well as co-chaired by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Monguno.

Other members are Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum, as well as the Ministers of Defence, Interior, Justice, and the Minister of State Budget and Planning.

The committee also has as members the Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Naval Staff, Chief of Air Staff, Inspector General of Police, and Governors of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States.

The Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service, and United Nations Resident Coordinator, among others, are also listed as members.

Adesina said the NHCC would be inaugurated by the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, in due course.

Kyari, Monguno Rift Confirms There Are Many Cabals In The Presidency – Afegbua

The former spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Council in the 2019 general elections, Mr Kassim Afebgua, has reacted to the rift between the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mr Babagana Monguno and the Chief of Staff to the President, Mr Abba Kyari.

In a leaked memo dated December 2019 and published by an online website, Premium Times, Monguno accused Kyari of usurping the powers of President Muhammadu Buhari and interfering on issues of national security.

The leaked memo was sent to the service chiefs and the Inspector General of Police, with the President and the Chief of Staff as well as some ministers in the copy.

READ ALSO: Presidency Keeps Mum Over Kyari, Monguno Dispute

Reacting during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Afebgua said the dispute confirms the existence of many cabals in the presidency.

The former spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Council in the 2019 general elections, Mr Kassin Afebgua.

“The fact that a memo or letter written by the National Security Adviser is being leaked to the public means that there is no coordination, there is no sense of organization in the presidency.

“By extension, it confirms the public perception that there are too many power blocs in the presidency, they call it cabal. Within the cabal, there are various categories. We have the one represented by the President’s uncle.

“We have the one represented by friends of the President, we have the one represented by the Chief of Staff and by this memo now, the one represented by the NSA,” he said.

According to him, it is disappointing to realize that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration is not coordinated.

He recalled that when the farmers and herders clashes were rampant in Benue State, four different camps from the NSA, Mansur Dan-Ali, former Defence Minister, Ibrahim Idris, the former Inspector General of Police and Mr Abubakar Malami, the Justice Minister, gave different reasons why the conflicts occurred.

Speaking further, Afegbua explained that the varying stance on the crisis rocking the north-central states shows that “there is no synergy among the different agencies and segments within the presidency and it is like they are just fooling us.”

Presidency Keeps Mum Over Kyari, Monguno Dispute

A photo collage of the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, and the National Security Adviser, Retired Major General Babagana Monguno.

 

There appears to be an uneasy calm in the presidency regarding the revelation of a spat between the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, and the National Security Adviser, Retired Major General Babagana Monguno.

In a leaked memo dated December 2019 and published by an online website, Premium Times, Monguno accused Kyari of usurping the powers of President Muhammadu Buhari and interfering on issues of national security.

The leaked memo was sent to the service chiefs and the Inspector General of Police, with the President and the Chief of Staff as well as some ministers in the copy.

READ ALSO: Buhari Attends Passing Out Parade Of New EFCC Detectives In Kaduna

Monguno claimed that Kyari was fond of giving orders to the service chiefs without the knowledge of President Buhari.

He told the service chiefs that as professionals, they should be aware that the security of Nigeria requires concerted and centralized efforts, taking into account internal, external and diplomatic factors.

He also explained that many gains recorded in the effort to secure the nation are being undermined owing to the interventions of Kyari who allegedly presides over meetings with service chiefs and heads of security agencies and diplomatic officials in the absence of the NSA.

He, therefore, directed the security chiefs not to take orders from the Kyari as he is not the head of the security forces, neither has he sworn to an oath to defend the country.

Sources in the presidency have however kept mum over the matter when channels television attempted to get their response.

Border Closure To Remain Till Objectives Are Achieved – NSA

The National Security Adviser, Retired Major General Babagana Monguno, says border closure will remain until the objectives behind the closure are achieved.

Monguno told journalists over the weekend that the ongoing joint taskforce operation which is the reason for the closure will extend beyond the 28 days earlier fixed and will last till the objectives are achieved.

READ ALSO: Nigeria’s UN Representative, Muhammad-Bande Set To Resume As President Of General Assembly

“There is no definite date or time that we will conclude this exercise and we start seeing positive results.

“This exercise is to free the country from criminal activities including smuggling and enhance the economy. It is also aimed to secure the state of livelihood,” Monguno said.

He added that the issue of insecurity is worsened by a porous border which gives room for smugglers and smuggling.

The NSA, therefore, called for cooperation and collaboration from neighbouring countries to ensure the smooth operation of the exercise.

The border closure exercise, which commenced on August 21, is carried out in four sectors of North-West, North-Central, South- West, and South-South geopolitical zones.

The operation has recorded success with over 100 illegal migrants and 117 suspected smugglers arrested. Also, 8360 bags of 50kg foreign rice have been impounded with other banned items seized.

Buhari Orders Clampdown On Illegal Security Outfits

President Muhammadu Buhari

 

President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the immediate clampdown on all illegal security outfits in the country.

National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, revealed this on Tuesday while addressing a news conference in reaction of the recent crisis in Kaduna, Adamawa, Plateau and Benue states.

General Monguno added that all unlicenced and illicit acquisition of controlled items, including drones and broadcast equipment are to be reported to the appropriate security agencies.

With security challenges still popping up across the country, the National Security Adviser said the nation’s internal security situation is being reviewed.

Killings: NSA Briefs Senate Behind Closed Doors

Killings: NSA Briefs Senate Behind Closed Doors
File photo

 

The National Security Adviser (NSA), Major General Babagana Monguno (rtd) on Thursday met with the Senate behind closed doors.

Mr Monguno briefed the lawmakers at the Upper House of the National Assembly, on the spate of killings by terrorists, proliferation of dangerous firearms, kidnappings by hoodlums across the country.

The meeting came one week after Nigeria’s heads of security agencies led by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonisakin, held a private meeting with the Senate over the security challenges in the country.

At the meeting which took place on May 23, the security chiefs and the lawmakers agreed on the need for special funding for the security agencies.

Both meetings were convened as a result of the security challenges facing the nation, especially the Boko Haram insurgency and the killings by suspected herdsmen that have claimed many lives.

At Wednesday’s plenary, Senate President Bukola Saraki had informed his colleagues that Mr Monguno would brief the Senate on the nation’s security.

He gave the hint following a point of order raised by Senator Barnabas Gemade from Benue about the condition of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) in his state.

Saraki stressed the need to address urgently tackle the challenges, as a majority of the displaced persons are children.

He also asked the government to continue to play its role in giving hope to a lot of those who have found themselves in such situation by no fault of theirs.

“I think in our oversight committees should play more oversight roles in ensuring the necessary materials are made available at some of these sites.

“I have made commitments and I hope in the next few days we’ll get some donations, tables, desks for the kids and also improve the conditions of where they are being taught and even some of the other places on the camp need significant improvement,” Senator Saraki had said during the previous plenary.

President Buhari Attends Jummat In Abuja


President Muhammadu Buhari was seen in public as he went to observe the Friday Muslim prayers within the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.

The President was joined by the National Security Adviser, Major General Babagana Monguno (rtd); as well as the acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Ibrahim Magu among others.

He was seen chatting with the Director-General of the Department of State Services, Mr Lawan Daura.

There were concerns over President Buhari’s health as the Federal Executive Council meeting could not hold last Wednesday.

Last week Friday, the Governor of Kaduna State, Mr Nasir Elrufai had advised that people should reduce visits to the Aso Villa to allow the President some rest.

NSA, Yobe Govt. Meet Over Boko Haram Remnants

NSA, Yobe Govt. Meet Over Boko Haram RemnantsThe Yobe State Government is partnering with the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) to tackle the menace of insurgency in North-East Nigeria.

Speaking at a meeting in the state, Governor Ibrahim Gaidam noted that securing the lives and property of the people was everyone’s business and called for effective collaboration in waging the war against terrorism.

He appealed to the Federal Government to step up efforts to fully rid the region of the Boko Haram terrorists, promising that his administration would continue to accord security issues the desired attention.

“I wish to make an appeal to the Federal Government through the Office of the National Security Adviser, to intensify the mopping up ofthe remnant of Boko Haram terrorists in all nooks and crannies of the North-East, in conjunction with the vigilante group and with the aid of the organised community policing and surveillance training,” the Governor said.

He stressed that the meeting would enable participants to exchange ideas and find a way out of the restiveness engulfing Yobe State and the North-East as a whole.

“A workshop of this nature will enable participants to exchange ideas and arrive at a far reaching resolution on security issues unique to our zone, and take appropriate steps to arrest the threat to lives and property.

“It will equally avail us the opportunity of realising the need for us all to work together collectively towards eliminating the menace of the men of the underworld and miscreants,” Governor Gaidam stated.

Information Is Power

The NSA, Major General Babagana Monguno (rtd), whose address was read by the Head of the Counter-terrorism Office, Alhassan Useini, lauded the State Government’s effort in the rebuilding process and called for effective collaboration between security forces and the civil populace in tacking insecurity.

He emphasised the need for intelligence and information sharing as an effective way of tackling insurgency across the country.

“The country as a whole must now understand the importance of information sharing and the essence of timeliness in doing so. Information is power and the timely sharing of information is super power.

“This State Workshop should be seen as a call to reawaken the collaborative action which we must all embrace, as victory by one is victory by all of us, and a greater victory for our entire nation and the world. Our motto therefore should be mutual interest, mutual gain and mutual respect,” he said.

The Secretary to the Yobe State Government, Baba Mallam-Wali, described the workshop as timely, saying it would address key issues in the fight against terrorism and work out ways in the rebuilding of the war devastated areas.

He praised the present administration in the state for its role in relocating the Internally Displaced Persons to their ancestral homes.

FG Accuses Fertilizer Companies Of Economic Sabotage

Babagana-MungunuThe federal government has threatened to withdraw the licenses of two local fertilizer manufacturing companies over alleged economic sabotage.

This comes as the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mr Babagana Monguno, has confirmed the arrest of a store manager and five other employees of an explosives distribution company alleged to be suppliers of explosives to the Niger Delta militants.

He was speaking at a meeting with manufacturers of fertilizer in Abuja and confirmed the use of commercial explosives in the attacks on oil facilities in the Niger Delta.

“This office has conducted investigations into the incessant bombing of oil facilities in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria and discovered that commercial explosives and accessories were used for these attacks.

“Based on these facts, I have directed our explosives experts based in the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) to conduct further investigations and a detailed audit of the records of explosives, magazines and quarries in that region,” he said.

The investigations, according to Monguno, revealed that over 9,000kg of high explosives and 16,420 pieces of electrical detonators have been used by the militants.

Regarding the role of the fertilizer manufacturing companies, the NSA said, “The Office of the National Security Adviser has observed with total dismay and disappointment some unpatriotic acts and abuse of the goodwill of the federal government of Nigeria.

“Reports of the activities of these two companies have indicated that about 71% of the 2.05 million metric tonnes cumulative annual production is being exported to the detriment of our national economy.

“This has resulted in a spike in the price of the urea-based fertilizers in Nigeria with obvious implications on food security in the country.”

The incessant bombings by the Niger Delta militants and Boko Haram militants have caused both economic losses and loses of human lives in the country.

This, over time, has drawn concerns from the local and international community, looking for ways of ending the attacks.

The warning from the National Security Adviser was clear; the Nigerian government will not compromise in the provision of adequate security for its people.

Buhari Attends Forum On China, Nigeria Production Capacity Cooperation

Muhammadu-Buhari-in-ChinaNigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari, on Tuesday attended the official opening ceremony of the Business Forum on China-Nigeria Production Capacity Cooperation holding in Beijing China.

President Buhari is in China on an official visit aimed at securing greater support from Beijing for the development of Nigeria’s infrastructure, especially in the power, roads, railways, aviation, water supply and housing sectors.

At the official opening of the forum were Chairman of National Reform and Development Commission, Mr Xu Shaoshi, Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade & Investment, Okechukwu Enemalah, National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno and Minister of Foreign Affairs Geoffrey Onyeama.

Some other Nigerian government officials present at the opening were, Minister of Industry, Trade & Investment, Okechukwu Enemalah and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama.

Other Chinese government officials at the ceremony were Governor of National Development Bank, Mr Zheng Zhijie, Chairman of National Reform and Development Commission, Mr Xu Shaoshi and Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Qian Hongshan.

The Nigerian government is looking to secure more funds from China, with the Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, saying the oil rich nation would consider issuing Chinese panda bond to plug deficit in the 2016 budget.

Earlier, the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Ltd (ICBC), the world’s biggest lender, and Nigeria’s central bank signed an agreement on yuan transactions.

“It means that the renminbi (yuan) is free to flow among different banks in Nigeria and the renminbi has been included in the foreign exchange reserves of Nigeria,” the Director General of the Foreign Ministry’s African Affairs Department, Lin Songtian, told reporters.

The agreement was reached following a meeting between Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Buhari, Mahama Agree To Strengthen Bilateral Relations And Improve Regional Security

buhari and mahamaPresident Muhammadu Buhari and his Ghanaian counterpart on Monday agreed to strengthen bilateral relations and improve regional security. 

The two Presidents entered the agreements during a closed door meeting after which the press was briefed on issues discussed.

Top on the list was the reformation of the military and  on the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) biometric card, which would make trading between Ghana and Nigeria much easier.

President Buhari gave the assurance that he will compose his cabinet during a joint press conference with President John Dramani Mahama of Ghana.

“After I was sworn-in, I said I will have my cabinet in September. I expect that Nigerians should ask me questions after the 30th of September if I do not do so,” President Buhari said.

The President arrived Ghana at approximately 10am at the Kotoka International Airport where he inspected a Guard of Honour.

Remarkable Progress

President Buhari also told reporters that the Nigerian military, in close collaboration with the Multi-National Joint Task Force, has recorded remarkable progress in the fight against Boko Haram.

“The first thing I did after I came into office was to reorganize the military and clear orders were given to them in terms of retraining, re-equipping and redeployment of troops.

“In the northeast, the military is gaining ground and Boko Haram has been limited to the Sambisa forest.

“Internally Displaced Persons are gradually moving back home and they are being reintegrated into their respective communities,” President Buhari said.

I Have Declared My Assets Four Times

The President affirmed that it was a constitutional requirement that all public office holders in Nigeria should declare their assets before and after their term in office.

“I recall that in 1975 when late Murtala Mohammed became the Head of State, we were lined up – governors, ministers, members of the Supreme Military Council. Officials of Ministry of Justice were brought and every individual was made to declare his assets.

“All Heads of States and Government, governors, ministers, permanent secretaries have to declare their assets because it is a constitutional requirement.

“I have declared my assets four times. When I was governor in 1975, I declared. After being Minister of Petroleum and as a member of Supreme Military Council, I declared. When I was Head of State and now as a President, I have also declared” he said.

The Ghanaian President added that both leaders also agreed to encourage closer cooperation between the intelligence and anti-graft agencies of both countries.

He thanked President Buhari for his visit and assured him of Ghana’s support and cooperation with Nigeria in the fight against terrorism.