Monguno Absent As Service Chiefs Meet Buhari, Kyari In Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, met with service chiefs and the Inspector-General of Police in the State House, Abuja.

The National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj. Gen. Babagana  Monguno (retd), however, was absent as  he was said to be out of the country.

Monguno, who on Monday, was appointed co-chair of the National Humanitarian Coordination Committee (NHCC), has always been part of the  security meeting with the president.

At the end of the meeting held behind closed doors, the security chiefs headed for the office of the Chief of Staff to the president, Abba Kyari, for another round of meeting.

The meetings came on the heels of calls from various quarters for the sacking of the service chiefs as a result of escalating security crises in the country.

Present at the meeting were Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin, Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Sadique Abubakar and Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas and the IGP, Abubakar Adamu.

In a recently leaked memo, Monguno accused Kyari of undue interference in national security matters, stressing that the Chief of Staff was issuing directives to the service chiefs without the prior knowledge or approval of the president.

Monguno last year led the process that led to the launch of the national security strategy.

Meanwhile, wife of the president, Aisha Buhari, has called for synergy among all security agencies, to re-strategize and re-examine the security structure with a view to stem the rising cases of terrorism in Nigeria.

Mrs. Buhari made the call at an international conference on state and security held at the Nigeria Defence Academy (NDA) Kaduna, yesterday.

The conference was organised by the NDA Centre for Critical Thinking, Teaching and Learning.

She stressed the need for government to look into the welfare of security personnel, saying that it plays a vital role in the way and manner they carry out their mandate.

“Security in Nigeria remains the biggest challenge, it is high time to explore new strategies and approaches, if care is not taken, we will be expecting the worse of the security problems we are facing in Nigeria,” she said.

The president’s wife urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and provide relevant information to security agencies to avert any potential threat to peace and security in the country.

“All criminals are members of our society and they live in our midst, parents have the responsibility of ensuring that we take exceptional interest in the development of our children,”she added.

Mrs Buhari commended the role played by women at ensuring safety of Nigerian children.

“It is our responsibility as women to fast track our activities to make our families stronger.

“We remain the pivots and motivators that must continue to moderate the bond of unity and affection in our various families,” she added.

Earlier, Commandant of NDA, Maj.-Gen. Jamil Sarham, represented by his Deputy, AVM Ibrahim Ali, said the conference was organised to proffer solutions to the challenges of insecurity in Nigeria.

Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Pauline Tallen, the DGs of NYSC, DICON, and SSS, as well as the Deputy Governor of Kaduna state, Hadiza Balarabe, among other stakeholders attended the conference.

Daily Sun