Hope James
Residents of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, on Monday, converged at the Abuja Unity Fountain, to protest against the insecurity and ineffectiveness of the security agencies in curtailing the waves of kidnapping and killings ravaging the city.
Speaking under the umbrella of the Guardians of Democracy and Development Initiative (GDDI), the aggrieved residents wondered why despite several intelligence reports about planned attacks on Abuja, including the attack on Kuje Prison where 66 terrorists commanders and kingpins were freed, the Minister of Defence, Major Gen. Bashir Magashi (rtd), and the National Security Adviser, Major Gen Babagana Monguno (rtd) could not do anything.
Consequently, one of the leaders of the group, Comrade Danesi Momoh, said President Muhammadu Buhari should, with immediate effect, sack the duo of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj. Gen. Babagana Monguno (Rtd) and the Defence Minister, Maj. Gen. Bashir Salihi Magashi (Rtd), for their ineptitude in handling the security challenges destroying the country.
The protesters who moved round the streets of Abuja to register their apprehension over the serial killings, abductions and insecurity in the country, displayed several placards asking the President to relieve Generals Monguno and Magashi of their duties and replace them with competent persons.
Some of the inscriptions on the placards by the protesters reads; “Defence Minister is incompetent, sack him now”, “Magashi must go”, “We say no to incompetent NSA and Defence Minister”, “Defence Minister Must Go”, “Sack Monguno now”.
The group warned that if President Buhari fails to heed to their call to sack the duo, they would be left with no choice other than join forces with those who are demanding for his (Buhari’s) resignation or impeachment from office.
Comrade Momoh and Mr. Igwe Ide-Umanta, a Co-convener of the group further justified their demand for the sack of the NSA saying, “We wish to start with the statement credited to the National Security Adviser himself, Maj. Gen. Babagana Monguno (Rtd), where he was quoted as saying: “people are getting tired and are beginning to gravitate into other means of self-help.”
Truth is that Nigerians are not just getting tired; we are suffocated, frustrated, threatened, apprehensive, and completely uncertain about our safety and that of our loved ones.
“We cannot continue this way, and both the National Security Adviser (NSA) and the Minister of Defence know. We have had to tolerate a National Security Adviser who has no record of achievement in his seven (7) years in office. And right under his supervision, intelligence has been ignored (as has now been exposed by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives).
”There is no proactivity and no evidence of any practical input from him in addressing National Security before its total collapse status.
“On the part of the Minister of Defence, he has no innovation, inspiration and the right professional touch to lead such important Ministry at a critical time like this.
“In fact, he appears too frail, tired and out of touch with contemporary security realities and defence strategies. Thus he has no business being there. Mr. President should show mercy to the citizens and deploy a better hand and brain.
“Back to the National Security Adviser, Maj. Gen. Babagana Monguno (Rtd), we must also note that his statement as quoted above suggests that he too is tired, frustrated and has no idea of what to do.
“He has never done anything before and cannot be expected to do anything other than the same seven (7) years old recycled rhetoric. Things can only worsen under such abysmally poor NSA.” They stated.
Recall that aftermath of the Kuje Prison attack and ambush attack of the Presidential Guards troops in Bwari, Abuja, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase, had revealed that forty-four (44) Security Reports were forwarded from the Department of State Security (DSS) and other Intelligence Agencies, alerting Mr. President of an impending attack on the Kuje Prison.