NSA: We didn’t discuss fate of service chiefs at security meeting

Babagana Monguno, national security adviser (NSA), says the fate of service chiefs was not discussed at Thursday’s meeting of the national security council.

The meeting held 24 hours after federal lawmakers asked President Muhammadu Buhari to sack service chiefs over the rising insecurity.

While the meeting was ongoing, there were speculations that it could be about the performance of the service chiefs who have spent over 35 years in service.

But speaking with state house correspondents at the end of the meeting, Monguno said there was no discussion about the service chiefs.

“The issue of the National Assembly resolution did not come up at the meeting,’’ 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 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, the 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 consultation with the relevant stakeholders.”
The current service chiefs are Abayomi Olonishakin, chief of defence staff; Tukur Buratai, chief of army staff; Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, chief of naval staff and Sadique Abubakar, chief of air staff