Nigeria’s security not one-man affair — CSO faults MURIC ultimatum to Defence Minister

A Civil Society Organisation, CSO, Aminchi Centre for Social Advocacy and Development Initiative, CSA, has urged the Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC, to stop reducing Nigeria’s complex national security architecture to one individual.

The Chief Executive Officer and Board Chairman of CSA, Ibrahim Shuni, made the call while addressing journalists in Sokoto on Wednesday.

Shuni was reacting to MURIC’s 14-day ultimatum to the Minister of Defence, retired Gen. Christopher Musa, to stop the killings in Sokoto or resign.

He said: “The Federal Ministry of Defence is a complex institution comprising civilian administrative structure and the military components of the Defence Headquarters, Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy and Nigerian Air Force, as well as several defence institutions and agencies.

“The official organisational structure of the ministry itself demonstrates this distinction.

“The minister sits at the policy level, while the Permanent Secretary and various departments, agencies and military authorities perform distinct statutory and professional responsibilities.”

According to him, it is misleading to suggest that the minister of defence personally commands every soldier, determines every deployment or directs every tactical engagement.

He said the minister also “does not” possess the unilateral ability to prevent every criminal or terrorist attack anywhere in the country.

“National security is a system. It requires the coordinated efforts of the Presidency, Armed Forces, Police, intelligence agencies, state governments, local governments, traditional institutions, communities and citizens,” he said.

Shuni said MURIC’s concern over the loss of innocent lives, abductions and insecurity in Sokoto and other parts of the country was understandable.

He, however, said every Nigerian has a legitimate right to demand effective security, adding that no responsible government or security institution should be complacent about loss of lives.

“However, the manner and substance of MURIC’s ultimatum raise fundamental questions about whether the organisation fully understands the workings of the Federal Government and the institutional structure of the ministry of defence.

“MURIC also needs to understand the constitutional chain of command of the Armed Forces, and importantly, the shared responsibility of citizens in confronting insecurity,” he said.

The CSA chairman further cautioned that the appointment and removal of a minister were matters for the President and the constitutional processes of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, not ultimatums issued by pressure groups.

He urged Nigerians to focus on finding solutions to insecurity rather than apportioning blame to individuals.

“The real challenge before all Nigerians is therefore, not ‘Who should we blame?’ It is ‘What can each of us do to help Nigeria defeat terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and violent crime?’” he suggested.

NAN