By Gidado Ibrahim
The success of any leader begins with the team he assembles to work with. No leader knows it all but the quality of appointments can replace the fact that the leader cannot be everywhere. That is why many analysts have roundly applauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s appointment of the pioneer chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, as National Security Adviser (NSA), describing it as a master stroke.
As a industrial forensic security expert myself, I can equally validate the accolades that have trailed Ribadu’s appointment. The anti-corruption/security czar is not only coming with enormous experience; he also enjoys enormous goodwill. Ribadu’s appeal demystifies age and social barrier, partly because of his strength of character, charisma and in-depth experience, mastery and knowledge.
This, he has demonstrated right from his days as EFCC chairman. Ribadu, it would be reacalled, rejected a $15 million (cash) bribe to cover up a South South governor. This feat was roundly acknowledged in the international circle.
With the NSA’s capability, courage and competence not in doubt, the only recipe for success that the NSA needs to embrace is the openness to ideas from security experts. As I have pointed out earlier, no leader knows it all. Conversely, national security and good governance are two sides of the same coin as the former improves, the latter also improves. With this, the challenge of national security becomes lesser.
As it is the norm within International circle, countries learn from each other. Like it is done in advanced societies, the NSA needs to create a political intelligence bureau desk in his office to secretly monitor the affairs of political parties. The idea is to avoid fraud by elected government officials, who may want to connive with international NGOs, oil companies to launder funds overseas.
With the political will demonstrated by President Tinubu so far, there’s no iota of a doubt that Ribadu will provide the necessary conducive environment for the law enforcement agencies to perform optimally.
Additionally, the United States has two different military bases in Niger Republic to protect their own interest. it is also necessary that we partner with them in order to leverage on the equipment, technology and drone they deploy. Nigeria can partner with them to tap into their sources of intelligence security system.
The Tinubu administration should provide expertise through the NSA on improving foreign signal to Nigeria’s policy makers, military and the intelligence community that plays a vital role in our national security.
Mallam Nuhu Ribadu will offer his perspectives on the election, corruption, national security strategy and challenges facing the AU, ECOWAS regional groupings. I sincerely hope that with Ribadu, the National Security Advisers of the United States of America, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Germany, Austria, Russia and other members of the international community will hold a roundtable conference in Nigeria with President Tinubu to address global terrorism, drugs, other related miscellaneous offences , global crime’s financial concsipiracy .
The political economy of capital accumulation, state national development, agrarian transformation and the Nigeria’s peasantry can be well monitored and easy to implement for the present administration as Ribadu takes over the security leadership.
Across different countries, the key roles and responsibilities discussed in the literature for National Security Advisers include analysing security, intelligence issues; assessing expected trends and prioritising activities, perfectly playing an advisory role and making recommendations to the president or prime minister.
The coming of Ribadu will reduce violence radicalisation and improve comparative perspectives on the evaluation of insurgency, organised crime, critical infrastructure corruption and best industrial security watch in the country.
National Security Adviser is a senior official in the cabinet of the president of Nigeria who manages national security affairs on behalf of the president. Suffice it to clarify that national security is not only restricted to absence of violence alone. If we analyse the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, you’ll understand that ‘hunger’ is also an instrument of war. Hence, hunger can compromise national security.
For instance, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that Russia was considering withdrawing from the Black Sea grain deal. The deal allowing Ukraine to resume seaborne grain exports was brokered by the United Nations and Turkey in July last year to help tackle a global food crisis the UN said had been worsened by the war. Since Putin’s threat, the world has been on the edge.
For Nigeria to get its national security right, the issue of hunger, which has worsened due to insecurity must be tackled. More than 350 farmers were kidnapped or killed in the 12 months up to June 2022 alone, according to a Nigerian security tracking website. That is why the just rolled out presidential initiative on agriculture deserves commendation.
In retrospect, concerns about food insecurity have been longstanding in Nigeria, which has also been battling widespread insecurity for several years. In fact, a UN report in January projected that 25 million Nigerians were at high risk of food insecurity this year, meaning they would not be able to afford enough nutritious food every day. That’s why President Tinubu declared a State of Emergency to tackle rising food prices and shortages.
The presidential initiative under the supervision of the National Security Adviser’s office seeks to empower farmers with fertiliser and grain. As part of the plan, the Tinubu-led government intends to increase protection for farmers, many of whom have abandoned their land after becoming the target of gangs that kidnap for ransom.
The old issue of creation of a National Commodity Board that will review and continuously assess food prices as well as maintain a strategic food reserve that will be used as a price stabilisation mechanism for critical grains and other food items is top on the president’s agenda.
With the above, the president can solve food security by increasing irrigation efficiency, and crop water productivity. He should also encourage social participation, facilitate technical training, research and intensify governance and public sector management.
It is a general consensus that corruption, arms scandal and hunger is also a threat to national security. So, the Ribadu-led security team must be on its toes to fight along with the operational security and intelligence community.
– Ibrahim is director, Communication and Strategic Planning, of the Presidential Support Committee (PSC).