Since his retirement from the military, Colonel Tony Nyiam has been a vocal voice on the civil society platforms. An advocate of restructuring and equitable co-existence, Nyiam, in this interview with TAIWO ADISA, bares his mind on the spate of violence in the country and the responses from the Presidential villa. Excerpts:
HOW do you react to the series of bloodletting and kidnapping ravaging the country right now?
I humbly respond to the National Assembly’s call for suggestions of how to fill the gaps in our national security architecture as follows. One, there is urgent need for a Nigerian internal security strategy and a fit-for-purpose structure for containing enemies within the Nigerian territory or foreign invaders, such as the military, armed transnational Bororo-Fulani militia who are invading our farming communities. Two, there is the need for a four-fold expansion of the armed forces across the board, police and other national security agencies personnel strength. There is also the need for an independent Nigerian national security think-tank. This will, in addition to being resource persons to the Presidency in addressing immediate security threats, will also initiate and advise the Commander-in-Chief on medium and long term solutions to security problems, which persist.
There is also the need to introduce the US-type of National Guard which in the Nigerian context could be known as State Guards. For example, you can call it Katsina State Guard. These State Guards should be armed up to only the small arms level. At the national level, there should be National Guard with heavier arms so that with the consent of the National Assembly, the president can direct to reinforce a challenged state guard.
We once had National Guard and it didn’t seem to work…?
What I have suggested above would neatly complement the existing good structure for defence against external threats known technically as the armed forces’ order of battle (ORBAT). The failure has always been with our internal security architecture, thus the suggestions I have proffered. Before I forget, there is need also to set up a national coast guard. All the proposed national and state guards and coast guard and other agencies should be coordinated by a Coordinator of Internal Security Operations (COISO). The COISO office, like the National Security Adviser, should be in the Presidency, but appointment must be with the consent of the National Assembly, because of the executive nature of the duties of the envisaged coordinator.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo made references to nepotism as part of the problems bedevilling the Buhari administration, do you agree with that?
President Muhammadu Buhari should stop insulting Nigerians’ intelligence on the fact that he is the most nepotistic and tribalistic Nigerian president. The appointments he listed for the South-East are of officials in office but without power. Ndigbos are not as stupid as the sycophantic slaves, who frequently parade the Villa. They are just watching. Why is an Igbo not fit to be in the corridors of power? And to cap all the nepotism, the only slot occupied by the South-West in the security architecture, the Director-General of National Intelligence Agency (NIA) was recently taken away and before our korokoro eyes, it was replaced by another man from the president’s ethnic group. What’s worst is the danger the appointment of an unqualified person poses.
Recently, I have, in fact, been warned that two or three of these national security agencies could be used to frame me up for doing my patriotic duty of contributing to ensuring that PMB does not continue to bring the nation state to harm’s way through his nepotism and favouritism, that he does not continue to give his kinfolks advantages over the people of South-West, South-East, South-South and Middle Belt. By Buhari’s actions so far, he has made his statement that he is a president of all unbelievable. What a pity for a man to disown his status as a General or statesman? He has reduced himself from the position of a hitherto respectable General and Head of State to a Bororo-Fulani warlord. It’s no wonder the Hausas, one of the most culturally, politically and economically enslaved people are beginning to question why all the hegemonic practices are being done in their name? The town Fulani and bush Fulani of good conscience are also unhappy about PMB’s divisive practices of governance, which is exposing them to ridicule. For crying out loud, we are not ignorant of the occupants of these offices: the SGF, CoS, NSA, COAS, DG SSS, DG NIA, CAS, IGP and the bosses of INEC, EFCC, Customs, NDLEA and others. These are the movers and shakers of power in this dispensation
What is your view on the recent claims that ISIS could be behind the killings in Benue axis?
That DSS’s after-thought information begs many questions, such as, is it an attempt to distract gullible Nigerians’ attention from the sophisticatedly armed transnational Fulani invaders’ threats? Why is the information conveniently coming now? Isn’t it the National Intelligence agency (NIA), an agency like the United States of America’s CIA, constitutionally charged with the responsibility for foreign and transnational intelligence, that should have informed us? Are the armed Bororo-Fulani militia parts of the Islamist plan to take over the Nigerian aboriginal ethnicities’ lands?
One of the major lessons I have learnt from my existential life experiences in relation to our Lord, Jesus’ teachings is that there is no religion higher than tuth and love. Thus, in accordance to a call to duty to the Nigerian people, I humbly commend PMB for mentioning, for the first time, the herdsmen in relation to the murders of innocent Benue people and ordering the arrest of any armed herdsmen.
Our C-in-C, what you have begun is what I have been praying you are allowed to do. Please, our president, we plead with you to include personalities from the South-South, South-West, South-East and Middle Belt in the National Security Council. It is presently monopolised by Fulani and Kanuri officers. He should also work towards a new Nigerian society anchored on the principles of justice, truth, liberty, fairness, equality, compassion and the well-being of the greatest number of Nigerians. President Buhari’s legacy will, Insha Allah, be positively guaranteed if the cabal allows him to exercise the political will to constitutionally reform the Nigerian State.
Let me also commend the Senate for its rejection of an apparently biased committee report on the Benue killings. There are too many sycophantic reports going to the president in this administration.
The post Buhari must reorder security structure to get results —Nyiam appeared first on Tribune.
Buhari must reorder security structure to get results —Nyiam
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