Part of the worthy and most outstanding narrative about the appointment of Malam Nuhu Ribadu as the National Security Adviser (NSA) by President Bola Tinubu is the template of bridging the gaps and shortening the distance in rejigging the national security architecture.
Coming as a fresh breeze with no baggage of corruption and other absurdities, the NSA is generously endowed with charm and calm mien, easy manners and stable emotions. Exuding uncanny gift of sound knowledge and professionalism as an eagle-eyed corp and an anti-corruption czar, Ribadu with clear distinction in leadership traits falls within the brackets of the gifted in competences, credibility and character.
Right from his formative years under the ambiance of highly influential parenthood, Ribadu trajectory in life is centered around honesty, integrity and dedication to the core values of whatever assignment given to him.
Born on 21st November 1960 in Yola, Adamawa State, a city with great attributes of nature that could only be rivalled by nature itself, he started his early education in the same town. He studied law at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria Kaduna State and earned a Master’s Degree in Law from the same institution.
With a mindset of effecting a change in what some people consider as job for all comers, Ribadu joined the Nigeria Police Force and rose to the rank of an Assistant Inspector General of Police. He was the pioneer Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) when the operation of the commission commenced on 13th April 2003. The NSA is a Senior Fellow and TED fellow at St. Anthony’s College, University of Oxford, United Kingdom.
Breaking the barriers and defining the narrative, Ribadu, who had a burning desire for selfless service to God and humanity, had a foray in progressive politics in 2011 when he contested and won a presidential ticket of the then Action Congress of Nigeria in 2011. With profound sense of humility and modesty in public life, Ribadu’s attempt to be President of Nigeria eventually brought him very close to the current President, Tinubu, who became a mentor and more of a “god father” during the campaigns and thereafter. Because of the close affinity between the two highly respected politicians, the choice of Ribadu as the NSA by the President did not come to many by surprise.
As a devout Muslim, Ribadu is a detribalised Nigerian with wide contacts that transcend beyond the confines of ethnicity and religion. As a likeable and popular personality with positive perception among Nigerians, he is ostensibly the code that could change the face and character of the security architecture of the county. As a man that has been able to build bridges across streams and rivers with tentacles spread across the Niger, Ribadu is a focused and dynamic security mogul with articulated blue print to jumpstart strategic thinking in optimum security management in the country.
It is lamentable that our country today is plagued by challenges of corruption, unmitigated lawlessness, crass impurity, spiraling indiscipline and outrageous security challenges that leaves us paradoxically poor in the midst of plenty. As a very urbane with highly metropolitan standards, Ribadu comes in with dazzling credentials of exceptional brilliance, decency, morality, decorum and honesty in politics and security networking.
With the appointment of the new service chiefs variously described as hard core professionals with track record of exceptional service in the Nigerian military, Ribadu must start working in earnest to earn the trust and confidence of Nigerians. Nigerians are very happy with the Tinubu administration for the appointment of the new chief of Defence Staff, Major-General Christopher Musa; Chief of Army Staff, Major-General Taoreed Lagbaja; Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla; the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Vice Marshall H. B. Abubakar; the Chief of Defence Intelligence, Major-General Emmanuel Undiandeye, and the Ag. Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun.
With the assemblage of these dedicated and committed officers, Ribadu should start the process of galvanizing the security system with strategic thinking, innovative contents and outstanding visions to tame the brazen threats to national security. The issue of National Security Sector reforms should attract a font burners as issues such as funding, manpower, modern equipment and training among the many should be given due attention the need for monitoring and evaluation unit to check fund disbursement, purchase and delivery of appropriate equipment for the armed forces to enable them combat insurgency, terrorism, kidnapping and armed banditry among others, should be formed. As an integral part of security strategy, the new service chief should be provided with appropriate job description and possible timelines for the executive of their mandates. The era of business as usual should be over, as Nigerians would not accept anything less than overwhelming victory against the enemies of Nigeria.
Although the Nigerian military has been commended for pushing the activities of the dreaded Boko Haram to the fringes of Lake Chad, Sambisa forest and Cameroun mountains, more need to be done as pockets of attacks and ambushes still exist.
The issue of terror attacks and banditry in the North West, especially in Kaduna, Niger, Zamfara and Katsina has to be looked into for immediate remedial measures. It is a sad story to tell that many villages and towns in Zamfara State have been overrun by bandits as hundreds of children of school age no longer attend schools, while farmers don’t go to farms until ransom is paid. In some places, the bandits are trying to form parallel Government by imposing taxes on citizens and dispensing punishment for non-compliance with their laws.
Although the former Governor of Zamfara State, Ahmed Sani Yerima, who visited the President recently, has advocated for dialogue instead of full military force, some Emirs within the zone, especially within the Birnin Gwari axis have faulted the call as they urged the Govt. to use the language the bandits understand. They argued that negotiations and previous dialogue with bandits have always failed as the charlatans would use such occasions to collect funds from government with the aim of surrendering their weapons only to turn round and purchase more weapons.
It is heartwarming to note that the UNDP recently announced the donation of $13 millionto tackle insecurity in the North West zone and Ribadu and the service chief should use the funds judiciously.
It is of great concern and lamentation that the masses in the North West have since the better part of the Buhari administration remain humiliated, brow beaten and terrorized by bandits to the point of submission. The people are looking forward to the Ribadu led security strategy for liberation from the shackles of bandits who are in hurry to remove them from the surface of the earth.
The recent spate of violence, especially tit-for-tat killings in the North Central at large and plateau state in particular is a source of concern to most security watchers. The raids and clashes between pastoralists and farmers should be looked unto with short-term remedial measures but long term permanent solution to the protracted problem. These disturbing trend seems to occupy the Centre stage in states like Nasarawa, Benue and Niger.
Non-state actors seems to have taken over the South East. The security system must be rejigged to contain the troubles in this zone as many people believe that Nigeria is at “war” due to the activities of proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra and its Eastern Security Network. For Simon Ekpa to find it a convenient drive in the comfort of Finland and order miscreants to create havoc on innocent citizens cannot be accepted.
Although troubles in the South-South geo-political zone-seems to be on the downward trend, there is the urgent need to critically examine the issue of oil theft in the region. As the main stay of the Nigerian economy, Ribadu should have a date with history for fortifying our defences and attacks against oil theft. Nigeria as been losing billions of dollars through this unholy activities of oil theft and strategic roadmap must be drawn to checkmate this profoundly disturbing problem.
As I conclude this article, let me seek refuge under the philosophical dictates of Ralph Waldo Emerson who has been quoted as saying “the world makes way for a man who knows where his going”. Ribadu should define the narrative.
Modibbo is an Abuja-based Public Affairs analyst
