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BOKO HARAM: Azazi, Bello Booted Out •Sambo Dasuki Now New NSA
Written by Leon Usigbe, Abuja Saturday, 23 June 2012
THE Federal Government, on Friday night, sacked the Minister of Defence, Dr Bello Haliru Mohammed and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Gen. Andrew Azazi over the deteriorating security situation in the country.
Their removal followed the president's frustration with their inability to check the increasing audacity of the Islamic religious sect, Boko Haram, which has continued its bombing campaign with impunity in parts of the northern states.
Sources in the Presidency indicated that Azazi had been replaced with Sambo Dasuki, another retired military officer.
Aziza has been loudly criticised as an inept national security leader in the wake of an escalation bomb attacks by the violent Islamist sect, Boko Haram.
Mr. Dasuki, a Sokoto prince, a retired armoured colonel and former ADC to former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida, was retired from the army by the Abacha regime in a paranoid move to drain the military of what was then perceived as the Babangida influence.
Repeated calls to the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, to confirm the story, were not answered, but a tweet from him reportedly announced the shake-up.
President Jonathan had summoned the emergency meeting of his security chiefs to express his dismay moments after arriving from Brazil.
According to the Minister of Police Affairs, Captain Caleb Olubolade, who spoke to State House Correspondents after the meeting, it was merely a usual security meeting with between the President and his security chiefs.
But he, however, hinted that the president expressed his displeasure with the security situation in the country, saying, "he (the President) particularly didn't feel too well about the lost of lives. He said we need to do something proactively to stop it at all cost".
Explaining further, he said the meeting was "a usual security meeting with the C-in-C to look at things in a comprehensive manner and see how the security agencies are fairing. It was a useful discussion on certain areas where we had problems, how to tackle them, how the security agencies can be more effective and the role the populace has to play in assisting in the war against terror.
"We had to reappraise the other measures. We had been taking before now and look at how the populace can be carried along to get more information so that peace can return to the land. We do not really have to kill Nigerians to sustain peace. The C-in-C believes that we need to talk and do what is right to ensure that we calm the nerves and ensure that this incessant bombing is minimised. It is a source of worry to all."
Speaking on the criticisms of the president's trip to Brazil at a time of a great security challenge in the country, Captain Olubolade observed that "Nigerians will normally say what is on their mind. They have freedom of expression, but since we are all Nigerians, things should not be said to set the country aback. He (Jonathan) has a duty to perform with other nations.
"He has confidence in his security apparatus and he is not unmindful of statements from opposition. But by and large, how Nigeria can be at peace is what is of utmost importance"
Also speaking, Azazi, explained that all the President did was to come back to the country and call his security chiefs to talk about security, even as he denied that it was an emergency meeting.
On the blacklisting of the Boko Haram leaders as terrorists by the United States, the ex-NSA said, "that is a decision by America. It is not a decision by us. They (US) probably feel that those are the people who they need to classify as terrorists. I can't begin to tell you what we discussed at the security meeting. But everything is under control"
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