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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
President Bola Tinubu, on Thursday, told service chiefs and heads of security and intelligence agencies to crush anyone involved in oil theft, saying that his administration will not tolerate such menace.
PrTinubu stated this in his maiden official meeting with security and intelligence heads led by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The pesident also said as far as he is concerned, Nigeria should not be on her knees as a result of security challenges while other countries are working, moving forward and recording tremendous achievements.
Briefing State House correspondents after the meeting that lasted about two hours, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Major Gen. Bafana Monguno (rtd), said the president has directed heads of security agencies to come out with their blueprints.
He said it was an appraisal meeting for the president to get a briefing on the activities of the different security formations and for him to tell them his own philosophy and what he expects from the security heads.
“The President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces has just concluded a meeting of the general security appraisal committee consisting of the Chief of Staff, service chiefs, Inspector-General of Police and heads of the intelligence agencies.
“This is the very first meeting he’s had with the heads of the security agencies. The meeting lasted for two hours.
“Having been briefed by the participants at the meeting, Mr President addressed prevailing issues confronting the nation in terms of insecurity and also mentioned his own philosophy towards dealing with national security issues.
“First and foremost, he appreciated the armed forces and intelligence agencies and the wider paramilitary agencies for the work they have been doing in the past couple of years. Their sacrifice, their loyalty, and he also paid tribute to those who died in defending this country, from the great big menace of terrorism, insurgency, banditry, oil theft, sea robbery, piracy, etc.
“The president has made it very clear that he’s determined to build on whatever gains that have been made and to reverse misfortunes and turn the tide in our favour.
“As far as he’s concerned, this country should not be on its knees struggling while other countries are working and achieving greater heights,” Moguno said.
According to the NSA, Tinubu said in moving the country forward, he needs the security agencies to redouble their efforts, stressing that his own philosophy is one of contemporary security measures dealing with the requirements of the time.
“He has made it very clear that he will not accept a situation in which our fortunes keep declining. And his own trajectory is that national security has to be coordinated, there has to be whatever…whether it is a basket system, but there must be a clearing house.
“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 upon.
“He is going to embark on a lot of reforms in terms of our security architecture, he is going to take a closer look at our misfortunes in the maritime domain, focusing particularly on the issues of oil theft, that as far as he is concerned, he is not going to tolerate oil theft.Wherever the problem is coming from, it must be crushed as soon as possible.
“He has already mandated the security agencies to come up with a blueprint as far as he knows and as far as he is concerned, he doesn’t have the luxury of time. And whatever changes will be made have to be done as soon as possible.
“The president has also decided that whatever ventures the armed forces are going to be engaged in, they must carry along those operatives in the theatre. They must be well-fed, well-kitted, motivated and given all that they require.
“President has said clearly that he will do whatever is within his powers to enable the operational elements, but the intelligence agencies must also make their work easy for them by providing the type of intelligence that they require to carry out the assignment,” Moguno added.
