Mohammed Babagana Monguno: The NSA and the 2023 primary elections

Unarguably, Mohammed Babagana Monguno, Nigeria’s National Security Adviser is a man of passion. A man of experience who’s dexterity was deployed at the right time having been appointed in 2015 by President Muhammadu Buhari.

One recalls that insecurity was at its heights at the time he took over. The office of the National Security Adviser is saddled among other things, with the responsibilities of analysing security issues, assessing expected trends and prioritising activities. Playing an advisory role. Making recommendations to the President.

In Nigeria, some politicians are too obsessed with their political aspirations that their activities have heated the polity. Part of challenges facing the nation today were largely triggered by politicians. In Borno State, North East Nigeria, which is the home state of Boko Haram insurgents, ISWAP and other enemies of the State, politicians in the State in attempt to outwit each other few years ago, armed hoodlums and thugs who eventually metamophorsed into a Boko Haram sect that eventually became nightmarish to the nation. Years after, the collateral damage done to the nation and the citizens can only be quantified in trillions.

Not only in the North East, but in the North West, the reign of terrorism was triggered by politicians who indulges in supremacy battle. Further look at the historical perspective of bandits who are all over the places, one would realise that the malaise cannot be distanced from politicians who are looking for power at all costs.

Monguno who is a retired Major General and who once commanded the elite Brigade of Guards understood the dynamics of security challenges pervading the nation. That, in no doubt, drives his passion to tackle insecurity in a proactive manner and despite that his actions which were within the ambit of his office are misinterpreted and even ended up in high wire politics, he was yet undeterred until the nation is rid of insecurity.

Recently, political parties in Nigeria conducted their primaries despite some security threats in parts of the nation. Today, no single bomb was detonated at primary election venues which were held at different places across the nation. The feat was made possible through the coordination of security agencies by the Office of the National Security Adviser headed by the Major General Mohammed Babagana Monguno (Rtd).

A security analyst, Chief Irukera Bamidele who observed the security arrangements before and after the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held its National Stadium and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)’s National Congress at the Eagle Square, all in Abuja, where their parties presidential flagbearers emerged, described security arrangements as best.

According to him, “assessing expected trends” are a major focus of the Office of the National Security Adviser, hence, there were some issues that were nip in the bud before and after the Congresses of political parties.

Bamidele said: “You know, the NSA is rarely being heard or seen, but his effective coordination of security agencies which is directly one of the responsibility of that office actually lead to successes you are seeing.”

Moreso, in a move to have sane environment and keep terrorists away from the territorial boundaries of Nigeria, the NSA has recommended various measures which have worked for the nation.

Though, the country hasn’t achieve much desired result in terms of taking out enemies completely, but the nation was gradually coming out of the security quagmire and to achieve complete normalcy, security agencies must all cooperate with the Office of the NSA.