Northern youths under the aegis of Arewa Youth Assembly (AYA), on Wednesday protested at the main gate of the National Assembly, demanding the sack of the National Security Adviser, Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno (Rtd.), over raging insecurity in the country.
The youths argued that the inability of President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration to stem the tide of security challenges is not unconnected to the bad advisers he has on security, adding that under the watch of Monguno, terrorists had been emboldened.
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Addressing journalists during the protest, AYA Publicity Secretary, Aliyu Muhammed, maintained that Monguno had failed to foster needed synergy among security forces fighting various criminalities, hence the reasons the security agents have face-off.
Recall that Monguno was appointed alongside former service chiefs: the Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonishakin; Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar in 2015.
But the NSA was spared when Olonisakin and other service chiefs were removed last year by the president over their failure to check widespread insecurity across the country.
Muhammed said, “In response to the astronomic increase in the cases of unprovoked killings and abductions of Nigerians in their farms, houses, train and our major highways which has led to an unprecedented rise in the poverty rate and food scarcity across the country, we want the immediate removal of the National Security Adviser.
“In concordance with the similar situation in the southern part of the country where citizens are not allowed to come out on Mondays to pursue their businesses, thereby further impoverishing them. All this is because there is a severe defect in the security architecture of our country.
“The criminal elements became emboldened under his watch as the NSA, they equally ambushed and killed some officers of the Brigade of Guard to Mr President and also issued notice to kidnap our a seating President, Buhari and Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State. This is unfortunate and unimaginable in the history of nationhood.
“The NSA is either not advising the President or his ideas are ineffective, hence, the seeming triumph of ragtag elements over our Armed Forces. We, therefore, call for his immediate resignation or be sacked by Buhari.
“We want the security of this nation to unconditionally be improved from its present state to a satisfactory one, and all Nigerians in captivity should be fought for and set free, unconditionally.”
The youth leader vowed that the group would mobilise and hold a massive protest across the 19 northern states if the president refused to sack the NSA by Friday.
“We are calling off the protest today, to accord appropriate time for President to act accordingly, and after two days nothing is done, the protest will continue, not only here, but in all the 19 Northern states,” he stated.
