The Nigerian security chiefs have been directed to work together and frequently consult themselves to deal with the security challenges facing the nation.
President Bola Tinubu gave the warning at a meeting he had with heads of security agencies on Thursday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja
The National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, revealed that President Tinubu asked the security chiefs to frequently consult with one another.
He also told them to produce a blueprint to deal with crude oil theft
Monguno said: “The President has revealed that in moving this country forward, he needs the security agencies to redouble their efforts. And he’s also pointed out that his own philosophy is one of contemporary security measures dealing with the requirements of the time.
“He has made it very clear that he will not accept a situation in which our fortunes keep declining. And his own trajectory is that national security has to be coordinated, there has to be wherever whatever it says whether it is a basket system, but there must be a clearing house.
“All agencies must work to achieve one single purpose. Working at cross purposes and colliding with each other is not something that he will condone. He has made it very, very clear that all the security agencies must comply with the demands of coordination, with the demands of frequent consultations and also timely reports which must be acted on.”
The NSA said the president told the security chiefs during the two-hour meeting that he was determined to build on gains made so far, reverse misfortunes and turn the tide in favour of the country.
He quoted Tinubu saying the country should not be on its knees while other countries were walking and achieving greater heights.
He said: “Having been briefed by the participants of the meeting, Mr. President, addressed prevailing issues confronting the nation in terms of insecurity and also mentioned his own philosophy towards dealing with national security issues.
“First and foremost, he appreciated the armed forces and intelligence agencies and the wider paramilitary agencies for the work they have been doing in the past couple of years. Their sacrifice, their loyalty, and he also paid tribute to those who died defending this country, from the great menace of terrorism, insurgency, banditry, oil theft, sea robbery, piracy, etc, etc.
“He is going to embark on a lot of reforms in terms of our security architecture, he is going to take a closer look at our misfortunes in the maritime domain, focusing particularly on the issues of oil theft, which is not going to tolerate. Wherever the problem is coming from, it must be crushed as soon as possible.
“He is already mandated by the security agencies to come up with a blueprint as far as he knows as far as it’s concerned, it doesn’t have the luxury of time. And whatever changes will be made have to be done as soon as possible.
“The President also has decided that whatever ventures the armed forces are going to be engaged in, they must carry along those operatives in the theatre. They must be well-fed, well-kitted, motivated and given all that they require.
“President has said clearly that he will do whatever is within his powers to enable the operational elements but the intelligence agencies must also make their work easy for them by providing the type of intelligence that they require to carry out the assignment.”
The Chief of Defence Staff General LEO Irabor, Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Farouk Yahaya; the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo; the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Isiaka Amao; and the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba attended the meeting.
