The struggle to liberate Nigeria from the shackles of incessant insecurity challenges has never been so evident. Since 1999, the country has faced numerous security challenges.
Every successive government has endeavoured assiduously to curb the rise in insecurity. Even when our country had the opportunity of retired military men at the helms of affairs of the country, each of these retired military-turned-democratic presidents couldn’t make so much difference either simply because of their choices of individuals appointed to manage our security apparatus, including the National Security Adviser, or the appointment as a product of political patronage.
The appointment of a National Security Adviser, even in advanced nations, is critical to the extent that a President looks up to the occupant for informed, timely and intelligence-driven advice to guide the President in making informed decisions in the country’s security management.
The National Security Adviser is expected to be the rallying and coordinating point of all security agencies and management in the country, therefore is expected to be manned by someone who enjoys and commands control and respect, in the security network of our country and beyond.
The office must have no other considerations except competence, loyalty and patriotism.
The news in the grapevine of a proposed appointment of the erstwhile Chairman of the Economic and financial Crimes Commission Mallam Nuhu Ribadu as the next National Security Adviser, if so happen, would mean that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is starting on a weak footing in terms of addressing the security challenges ravaging the country.
The President needs individuals with strong character that can give his government a biting teeth to address the humongous security challenges facing our country frontally.
It would mean and seems that Ribadu appointment is a compensation where as competence should be the sole consideration for appointing the occupant of such exalted and critical office.
Mr.President should not use that position as a political settlement. A technocrat and not a politician should occupy the NSA office.
Ribadu, a retired police officer, witnessed how he managed the EFCC under his leadership where he turned the commission to attack dogs of the government of the time and used his privileges to hunt down the political opponents.
If, in the thinking of President Tinubu, a trained retired police officer is desirable for the office of NSA, he should look within some of the former Inspector Generals of Police who had fantastic track records and can enjoy maximum cooperation, support and respect from other security agencies; he must not lose sight of the age-long rivalries amongst them.
The appointment of who leads and occupies our security agencies is critical, and Nigerians expect that they must be individuals with requisite experience and competencies; the appointment should be devoid of any political colouration.
Nuhu Ribadu, would be recalled left Nigeria police for EFCC as an Assistant Commissioner of Police and all he did was to investigate financial and economic crimes until his retirement, he does not in any way into the character or colour of someone who would give Tinubu’s Government that desired impetus needed in the office of National Security Adviser.
The President has been getting it right on his appointment so far, but appointing Nuhu Ribadu will score him low even in the face of the intInternationalmmunity.
*Hon. Abdullahi writes from Kano
