PMB meets with security chiefs over failing security structure

Barely 24 hours after the National Assembly asked for the sack of the security chiefs, President Muhammadu Buhari is currently presiding over national security council meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Among those in attendance are Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha; Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari;

Minister of Defense Maj. Gen. Bashir Salihi Mahashi (Rtd.); Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola; and the National Security Adviser (NSA) Maj. Gen. Babagana Monguno (Rtd.).

Service chiefs in attendance include the Chief of Defense Staff, General Gabriel Olonisakin; Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ekwe Ibas; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Sadique Abubakar; Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu; Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ahmed Rafa’i Abubakar; and the Director-General of the Directorate of State Services (DSS) Yusuf Magaji Bichi.

The agenda of the meeting which started about10am was not disclosed, it was reliably gathered that the meeting may not be unconnected with the worsening security situation across the country.

Recall that President Buhari, while hosting eminent citizens of Niger State on Tuesday, had expressed frustration at the increasing security threats in the country. President Buhari had said that what is happening now was far beyond just insurgency, which was the case in 2015 when he took office, but an evil plot against the peace of the country.

He said, “I was taken aback by what is happening in the North West and other parts of the country. During our campaigns, we knew about the Boko Haram. What is coming now is surprising. It is not ethnicity or religion, rather it is one evil plan against the country.

“We have to be harder on them. One of the responsibilities of government is to provide security. If we don’t secure the country, we will not be able to manage the economy properly. ”