Insecurity: Arewa Youths Call for NSA’s Resignation

 * Say Munguno has run out of ideas 

John Shiklam in Kaduna

The Arewa Youth Assembly (AYA) has called for the resignation of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Munguno, over the embarrassing activities of terrorists in the country.

The group also called on the federal government to ensure that those in captivity are freed and people displaced from their communities by terrorists are returned to their homes before the 2023 elections. 

In a statement on Monday in Kaduna, the AYA said the growing audacity of non-state actors, particularly the recent invasion of the Kuje prison in Abuja, the nation’s capital, which led to the escape of many members of the Boko Haram insurgents, showed that even President Muhammadu Buhari is not safe in the Presidential Villa. 

The statement signed by the spokesman of the group, Mohammed Danlami, said AYA believes that the NSA has run out of ideas on how to tackle the security situation and should resign or be sacked by the president. 

The statement empathised with the abducted passengers of the March 28, Abuja-Kaduna train attack and their families over the unfortunate incident, decrying the humiliating and dehumanising treatment they are subjected to, as was seen in a video released by their captors on Sunday on the social media. 

Danlami said: “The Arewa Youth Assembly shares in the pain and agony of the immediate families and friends of those in captivity and pray God to intervene through His supernatural power and set them free. 

“The AYA notes that the growing audacity of non-state actors which led to the invasion of Kuje Maximum Prison, Abuja which led to the release of numerous arrested Boko Haram commanders shows that even Mr President in the Presidential Villa is not safe. It is just a matter of time, these ragtag elements will draw inspiration from the Afghanistan terrorists and take over leadership of our country.

“We have observed that this insult to our country’s sovereignty would not have been possible if the National Security Adviser, who is supposed to guide Mr President had not run out of ideas.”

According to AYA, “Since Munguno’s appointment over seven years ago, we strongly believe that the man has run out of steam and does not have anything new to offer. Hence, the honourable thing for him to do is to pack his luggage and return to his retirement destination. Where he fails to, Mr. President should urgently sack him and get him replaced.

“The youths will not participate in activities in the build up to 2023 general election and the election proper if our brothers and sisters in captivity are not released.

“Also, most of our local government areas and communities that are now under the control of either Ansaru terrorists in North-central and North-west or ISWAP in North-east should be recovered. 

“In other words, politicians are only welcome to our region, when we have every reason to believe that our forests are free from bandits and terrorists.

“The assembly strongly believes that if the amount of monies budgeted for security and defence were deployed for such purposes, the terrorists in our bushes would not have been able to withstand our armed forces for three days.

“Many Nigerians believe that the Armed Forces remain the most corrupt institution in our country, that need to be properly checked by various anti-graft agencies.”

The statement reminded Buhari of a bomb explosion that nearly killed him in Kaduna in 2014, urging him to “come down hard on the terrorist elements who are sharing legitimacy of government with him”.