Monguno
On Monday, July 13, 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari appointed a new National Security Adviser (NSA) and service chiefs to manage the country’s security architecture. The appointees include Major-General Babagana Monguno (rtd.), NSA, Major-General Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Major-General T.Y. Buratai, Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Rear Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Air Vice Marshal Sadique Abubakar, Chief of Air Staff (CAS), and Air Vice Marshal Morgan Monday Riku, Chief of Defence Intelligence (CDI).
The new NSA is a member of the Nigerian Defence Academy’s 21st Regular Course. Before his retirement from the Army, he held several command and staff appointments including: Commander, Guards Brigade, Deputy Commandant, National Defence College, Chief of Defence Intelligence, Chief of Defence Logistics and Commander, Training and Doctrine Command.
The new Chief of Defence Staff, Maj.-Gen. Olonisakin (N/6901) hails from Ekiti state. Until his appointment as Chief of Defence Staff, he was the Head of the Nigerian Army Training and Doctrine Command in Minna, Niger State.
The new Chief of Army Staff, Maj.-Gen. Buratai hails from Borno state. Until his appointment, he was the Commander of the Multinational Joint Task Force which has its headquarters in Ndjamena, the Republic of Chad. Maj-Gen. Buratai has previously served as Commander of the Nigerian Army’s 2nd Brigade in Port Harcourt, Rivers state and Commander of the Nigerian Army School of Infantry in Jaji, Kaduna state.
The new Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Ibas (N0746) hails from Cross River State. He enlisted into the Nigerian Defence Academy as a member of the 26th Regular Course in 1979 and was commissioned as a Sub-Lieutenant in 1983. His previous appointments include: Naval Provost Marshall, Chief Staff Officer, Naval Training Command, Chief of Administration, Naval Headquarters, Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command and Chief of Logistics, Naval Headquarters. Until his appointment as Chief of Naval Staff, he was the Chief Executive Officer of Navy Holdings Limited.
The new Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Abubakar (NAF 1433) hails from Bauchi state. His previous appointments include: Chief of Standards and Evaluation, NAF Headquarters; Chief of Defence Communications and Air Officer Commanding, NAF Training Command. Until his new appointment as Chief of Air Staff, he was the Chief of Administration, NAF Headquarters.
The new Chief of Defence Intelligence, Air Vice Marshal Morgan, hails from Benue state. He was commissioned into the Nigerian Air Force as a Pilot Officer in June, 1982. His previous appointments include Air Officer Commanding, NAF Logistics Command.
Addressing the new NSA and service chiefs shortly after their appointments were announced, President Buhari urged them to help him rebuild the reputation of the Armed Forces and the nation.
The President also called on them to show utmost commitment to their duties, stressing that they were all chosen to serve based on merit, and assured them that their nominations would be sent to the National Assembly for confirmation.
“All of you, including the National Security Adviser, were chosen on merit. Your records gave you the job. Save for the new Chief of Army Staff whom I briefly met at his Command at the Multi-National Joint Task Force, in Chad, I don’t know any of you.
Your records recommended you. Legally, you are in acting capacity until the National Assembly accepts you. It is only then that you will take the oath of office. Thereafter, we will sit down and talk in more detail,” President Buhari told the new service chiefs.
However, Nigerians have divergent views on the new appointments including the rationale behind the sudden change. Some schools of thought are of the view that the President should have allowed the sacked heads of security agencies to continue until he is through with the appointments of ministers and key government functionaries while others believe that the presidential decision was timely as part of efforts to inject “fresh blood” into the system that have the capacity to decisively deal with the country’s lingering security challenges.
But it would appear that all these schools of thought are unanimous on one question: can the new National Security Adviser and the service chiefs deliver? Only time will tell!