Nothing during last Friday’s emergency meeting of the
National Security Council (NSC) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, suggested an
imminent sack of any of the members seated.
It was characteristically businesslike
although not totally free of its own light side with President Goodluck
Jonathan even throwing some banter at General Owoye Azazi who, in a matter of
hours thereafter, ceased to be the National Security Adviser (NSA).
Also sacked at the end of the meeting
was the Minister of Defence, Dr. Muhammed Haliru Bello.
The only topic on the agenda was the
latest round of the Boko Haram assault on Zaria, Kaduna and Damaturu earlier in
the week.
The President opened the meeting expressing
displeasure at the continued threat posed to the nation’s security by the Boko
Haram insurgency. He then invited others at the meeting to make contributions.
One source said: “Each member of the
council took time to offer suggestions on the way out of the Boko Haram menace.
Both Azazi and Bello did an extensive review but they ended up with the usual
refrain of ‘we are on top of the situation, we will overcome.’
“But when the Chief of Defence Staff,
Air Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin made his submission, it was apparent that
the President was tired of ‘we are on top of the situation’. He wanted a fresh
plan in line with Petinrin’s suggestion.
“Petinrin had claimed that ‘in modern
approach to terrorism, you take the battle to the terrorists, you don’t wait
till they strike.’
It was gathered that some members of
the council were also uncomfortable with the attitude of the Judiciary to
terror suspects, including the disposition of some judges to set free Boko
Haram members on trial.
They argued that judges should know
that terrorism cases are ordinarily bailable like other matters.
Another source said: “Some members
suggested the adoption of the Indian model which makes terrorism a capital
offence like murder. They called for a law in this respect to check the
recklessness of some judges who are hell-bent on releasing Boko Haram and other
terrorist organizations’ members either in custody or on trial.
“There may be a new bill which would
impose stiffer sanctions on terrorists in the country.”
It was also gathered that a new
National Counter-Terrorism Strategy will be put in place any moment from now.
“The new strategy will be comprehensive
in such a manner that after Boko Haram insurgency, it will be difficult for the
nation to experience such in future,” sources said.
On the freezing of the accounts of the
sponsors of Boko Haram, members agreed that it would be a difficult exercise
because of the international link of the sect with the Al-Qaeda network.
“There was a consensus that sponsors of
the sect used to send funds through a third or fourth party which usually makes
it difficult to trace,” the source added.
Members of the Council were said to
have left the session satisfied that they were on the same page with the
President on the issue of tackling the security problem.
The source said: “The President was at
his best, he cracked jokes with everyone at the session, especially Azazi and
Bello, without the slightest indication of his plan to sack them thereafter.”
Many of those at the meeting were
reportedly shocked on hearing the news of the removal of the duo after
leaving the meeting.
“The President did not betray his
emotion that he had a different plan,” the source said.
It was apparent that the session on
Boko Haram was a test for all the service chiefs and heads of security
agencies. I think the President also called the meeting to gauge the pulse of
everyone based on security reports at his disposal.
“I think the President was just tired
of the old approach to the Boko Haram menace, he wanted a fresh idea,” the
source added.
But the sack announcement did not
surprise Azazi who, according to sources, was drawn aside by the President at
the end of the meeting and told that his tenure as security czar was
over.
There were indications yesterday
that two time National Security Adviser (NSA), Lt-General Muhammad Aliyu Gusau
is topping the list of possible candidates for the vacant post of Minister of
Defence.
Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtd), a
former ADC to ex-military ruler General Ibrahim Babangida was named the new
NSA.
It was unclear last night whether
Gusau who served as NSA in the Obasanjo administration and the Jonathan
government up to the 2011 election would accept the offer.
However, his preference for the
job by the President is believed to be a strong indication of government’s
determination to find a lasting solution to the Boko Haram
insurgency.
The names of other candidates for the
Defence Minister position were kept under wraps at press time.
A highly-placed source said:
“Gusau’s option is being weighed because of his international exposure
and expertise on terrorism. He has been serving as a consultant to many
countries on terrorism.
“The truth is that each time Nigeria
approaches any country for assistance against Boko Haram, there is always
reference to Gusau as an expert. I think the President wants Gusau to assist
his nation.
“But no one is sure whether Gusau, a
former presidential aspirant, will accept the offer or not. But consultations are
on to convince him to accept the offer. “
Sources also said the Friday changes in
the security hierarchy are a bold statement by the Jonathan
administration of its intention to now take the battle against terrorism to the
doorstep of Boko Haram after previous efforts to bring the group to the negotiation
table had failed.
The implication is that government may resort to
actions to pre-empt the insurgents as against responding to its
strikes,the last of which claimed 34 lives in Damaturu,Yobe State on
Monday and about 70 in Zaria and Kaduna the previous day