President Tinubu reads the riot act, warns security agencies against working at cross purposes

President Bola Tinubu has warned all the security agencies against working at cross purposes and colliding with each other.

The president said all security agencies must work to achieve one single purpose and operate with synergy.

This was made known by the National Security Adviser, Babagana Mongonu, while addressing State House correspondents at the end of the 2-hour meeting between President Tinubu and the security chiefs on Thursday, June 1, 2023.

This is coming barely 48 hours after operatives of the DSS stormed the Lagos office of the EFCC, claiming ownership of the building located at No 15A Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos and preventing officials of the anti-graft agency from gaining access to the office.

Mongonu pointed out that Tinubu said national security has to be coordinated, adding that he will not accept anything contrary.

The President also mandated the security agencies to develop a blueprint to deal with the issue of crude oil theft, indicating that there will be changes to meet the requirements of the changing times.

Working at cross purposes will not be condoned

• Babagana Mongonu said, “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.”

Necessary changes expected soon

The president was also said to have mandated the security agencies to come up with a blueprint for tackling insecurity in the country.

Tinubu said he doesn’t have the luxury of time, adding that necessary changes should be effected as soon as possible.

The president said the welfare of the troops must be prioritised henceforth.

He said, “They must be well fed, well kitted, motivated and given all that they require.’’

Those in attendance at the President’s first engagement with heads of the nation’s security and intelligence agencies include the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Farouk Yahaya; 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.

Others are the Director-General of the Department of State Service(DSS), Yusuf Bichi; and the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ahmed Rufai Abubakar.

In case you missed it

Tinubu, during his inaugural address at his swearing-in, said security shall be a top priority of his administration as there can be no prosperity or justice amidst insecurity and violence.

He hinted that there will be increased pay as well as provision of better training and supply of equipment to security personnel in his administration.

• The president said, ‘’Security shall be the top priority of our administration because neither prosperity nor justice can prevail amidst insecurity and violence.
• ‘’To effectively tackle this menace, we shall reform both our security DOCTRINE and its ARCHITECTURE.
• ‘’We shall invest more in our security personnel, and this means more than an increase in number. We shall provide, better training, equipment, pay and firepower.’’