National Security: ONSA sustains momentum, by Stanley Ebube

National Security: ONSA sustains momentum, by Stanley Ebube

By Stanley Ebube

In finding a lasting solution to the security challenges faced by the country, high on the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu are three major national security threats – terrorism and violent extremism, oil theft, and secessionist agitation. The president made it clear that he wanted better synergy, collaboration and coordination. His choice of heads of security and intelligence agencies points to his disposition and commitment towards tackling all forms of insecurity in the country.

At several forums, both the president and the National Security Adviser (NSA) Mallam Nuhu Ribadu made the desire clear about entrenching synergy among the security forces to tackle national security. The present administration has also emphasised the whole-of-government and whole-of-society approaches to facing Nigeria’s security challenges.

From the collaborative efforts that led to a significant increase in oil production to crucial intervention in activities capable of crippling the economy, experts agree that the impact of better collaboration, synergy, and, especially, coordination by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) is being felt across the country.

Early in February, to underscore the importance of bilateral and multilateral collaboration, Nigeria hosted the second edition of the UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership Dialogue, through ONSA, led by the NSA. The UK delegation was led by the Deputy National Security Adviser, Dame Sarah Macintosh, who said Nigeria and the UK operate in a relationship of mutual respect and supportiveness.

As a follow-up to those resolutions in 2022, the dialogue explored further areas of cooperation in cyber security; countering terrorism and violent extremism; kidnap response; defence cooperation; policing and civil-military relations; human rights; women, peace and security; serious and organised crimes; and regional security and ECOWAS.

Such meetings are particularly important for regional and sub-regional security, judging by the key role Nigeria played in stabilising and calming down nerves across the West African region following tensions as a result of coups in three ECOWAS countries.

*Perhaps some of the deft and noteworthy interventions the NSA has been involved in recently happened between February and March, when there were collaborative roles played in the recovery of the Nigerian currency – the naira – after it plummeted. and have so far ensured that the economy of the country is not sabotaged by enemies within and their foreign collaborators.*

In a concerted effort to safeguard Nigeria’s foreign exchange market and combat speculative activities, ONSA and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) joined forces to address challenges impacting the nation’s economic stability. Following intelligence reports about continued illicit activities within the Nigerian foreign exchange market, the ONSA and CBN embarked on a collaborative approach to tackle those infractions. The partnership also involves a coordinated effort with key law enforcement agencies, including the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Nigeria Customs Service and the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU).

*The primary objective of the alliance was to systematically identify, thoroughly investigate and appropriately penalise individuals and organisations involved in wrongful activities within the FX market. By leveraging the expertise of these agencies, the collaboration is deterring malicious practices, protecting investor interests, and promoting sustainable economic growth, as witnessed in the continued rebound of the naira.*

In addition, the NSA directed operatives of the NPF, the EFCC, the Nigeria Customs Service and the NFIU, to clamp down on forex market speculators as part of efforts to safeguard Nigeria’s foreign exchange market and combat the activities of speculators, both domestic and international, operating through various channels. Shortly after, ONSA confirmed the arrest of two Binance crypto exchange platform executives as part of the investigation into forex speculation and an attempt to save the naira. The suspects are now being prosecuted over allegations of tax evasion and money laundering.

*In between those interventions, the NSA led heads of security and intelligence agencies to the Senate for a crucial meeting to compare notes and be on the same page. When the much-anticipated meeting between the Nigerian Senate and heads of security and intelligence agencies on the state of insecurity was eventually held, Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, said after the close to 10-hour meeting that the legislative arm of government was impressed with the determination of the security and intelligence heads.*

“For the security chiefs, we assured them of not just the support of the Senate, but the entire National Assembly. We passed a vote of confidence on them,” Mr Akpabio said.

That same month, the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), embedded in ONSA, retrieved 20,000 small arms and 60,000 units of ammunition in Nigeria. The NCCSALW replaced the defunct Presidential Committee on Small Arms and Light Weapons (PRESCOM) and is the national coordination mechanism for the control and monitoring of the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in Nigeria.

On food security, to ensure transparency in the distribution of the 42,000 metric tons of grains recently released from the strategic food reserve to ameliorate the suffering of vulnerable Nigerians, ONSA, in collaboration with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), also developed a distribution template.

In March, the Northern Governors’ Forum agreed with service chiefs to adopt new methods to address the recent spate of kidnappings in the region after a meeting with NSA Ribadu, and service chiefs to review the security situation. The governors agreed to adopt alternative options to tackle the challenge.

*Commending the security agencies, the Chairman of the forum and Governor of Gombe State, Inuwa Yahaya, said: “Already the military and all other security agencies have been doing their best. What we need to do is to change style, especially adding the non-kinetic approach, so that at the end of it when we join the two, we’ll have a better security situation in the country.”*

When 173 students were adopted in Kuriga town, Chikun local government area of Kaduna State, a swift and coordinated effort led to their rescue, prompting Governor Uba Sani to commend the unwavering dedication of the NSA and the collective commitment of service chiefs and security personnel. A few weeks later, on 21 March 2024, the military, working with local authorities and government agencies across the country, in a coordinated search and rescue operation, rescued 16 pupils with a woman in Gada LGA of Sokoto State 12 days after they were abducted by terrorists. Like his Kaduna counterpart, Governor Ahmed Aliyu of Sokoto State expressed heartfelt appreciation to the military, alongside other security agencies and ONSA for their dedicated efforts in successfully rescuing the abducted students.

*According to sources, apart from these rescues, the security and intelligence agencies working together to preempt and prevent terrorist attacks which have led to several key bandit leaders neutralised through special operations on combat grounds. Recall that, in February, troops neutralised Isyaku Boderi, a notorious bandit who masterminded several high-profile attacks, including the kidnap of Yauri schoolgirls, Greenfield University, breach of the Nigerian Defence Academy, and the killing of many villagers.*

*According to the Defence Headquarters, the troops neutralised no fewer than 2,352 terrorists, apprehended 2,308, and rescued 1,241 kidnapped hostages in different operations nationwide between January and March. Aside from Boderi, other terrorist commanders were killed during that time, including Abu Bilal Minuki (aka Abubakar Mainok), the Head of Is-Al Furqan Province of ISGS and ISWAP.*

Challenges persist, but experts say at the heart of these positives are improved collaboration and coordination of efforts which marks a shift in thinking spearheaded by ONSA.