For 24 years, most Nigerians were only familiar with one style of operation by their National Security Advisers (NSA), a kind of regimental style, because of the complete military background of the previous NSAs. Having NSAs with a military background is an excellent idea, but some critical situations require looking at things from different angles, including using outside-the-book approaches.
The coming of Nuhu Ribadu as Nigeria’s NSA is not only a paradigm shift but a systemic and systematic approach by President Bola Tinubu. Tinubu brought not only a person that he understands but also a person that understands his steps. It’s a kind of quality assurance.
Because for two decades, Nigerians have been used to one style, there is a need to educate them from a layman’s perspective. NSA Ribadu’s style will and must always be soft and hard, silent and loud, publicly and secretly, unique and ordinary, because of his background, training, and experience, an excellent police office and an anti-corruption czar that has gone through the mills of his fields.
Before his appointment and signs that he will be President Tinubu’s NSA, some people thought de-marketing and painting him black would deny him the position. They forgot that, in security matters, when dealing with goal-getters like Tinubu, it goes beyond politics. It’s a matter of just the quality of Ribadu and Tinubu’s philosophy on exceptional human resources.
The NSA manages Nigeria’s security on behalf of the President, and he is the chief advisor on all matters that are vital to the very survival of Nigeria.
The big questions are: has Ribadu brought on board something new, being a new face with different backgrounds from the previous NSAs in 24 years? Has Ribadu been able to separate politics from policy? He has actively participated in politics before now. Has Nigerian security improved under Ribadu?
Analysing security issues and their managers is often difficult, or rather futile, so to speak, because the gains achieved in a decade can be wiped away within a few minutes by one senseless act by terrorists, bandits, or common criminals. Ribadu has brought something unique: now Nigerians are being informed of happenings in the fight against criminality, the NSA is now visible when required, confidence has been built, and resources are properly distributed while separating needs from wants.
Under Ribadu, both kinetic and non-kinetic approaches are being applied to tackle the security challenges in Nigeria. Inter-agency synergies are now a key in the security architecture. Furthermore, all security agencies are being reformed and reinvigorated to effectively play their role in internal security, while the military is being freed from the burden of performing both its constitutional role and that of the police, thus allowing the military to fully concentrate on external security.
Politics and man are like love and mankind—they co-exist. Human beings must always love something; the same is true of politics: once one knits tight with politics, they live together. Even his adversaries must admit that Ribadu was able to separate his office from politics, knowing fully the enormous responsibilities on his head, and Nigeria and the world are keenly watching him. Furthermore, Ribadu has been able to drive the ONSA back to its original status as a National Security Vehicle, not the sad belief that it is a kind of ‘big pot ‘for politicians to scoop from.
Interestingly, Ribadu is building a strong interface among all the security agencies. Roles are being defined to allow seamless work to achieve one goal: the peace of the country and its people. Ribadu is piloting and overseeing security through the eyes of a well-trained security czar who understands both the hard and soft approaches. Inter-agency collaboration has improved; ordinary Nigerians now view the NSA as just for security only; NSA words now not only matter but work. A simple example is the recent off-cycle governorship election in Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi states. Ribadu assured Nigerians that the governorship elections would be conducted without any form of interference. and it was. This is how NSAs work—their worlds translate into actions and results.
Zayyad I. Muhammad writes from Abuja: [email protected], 08036070980.
