The National Security Adviser (NSA), Major General Babagana Monguno (Rtd) has said Nigerians are wailing and suffering over the security challenges in the country.
Monguno stated this on Thursday during the defence of his agency’s 2023 budget before the House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence.
The NSA told the lawmakers that the type of insecurity facing the country is not only peculiar just to Nigeria, but to other nations across the world.
He stated that the only way to overcome security challenges is to recognise the importance of intelligence as being the driver against insecurity.
Monguno, however, opined that President Muhammadu Buhari desires to hand over a safer Nigeria to his successor in 2023, calling on the lawmakers to approve his agency’s budget.
He said: “I must say that the type of insecurity that confronts us is not peculiar just to Nigeria, but it’s a global thing. And in today’s context, we can only overcome this problem when we recognise the importance of intelligence as being the driver against insecurity.
“It is important that all the problems I present are taken into consideration by this very important committee. We hinge all our hope and aspirations on whatever actions your [committee] will take in solving the myriads of problems that confront us, and I want to assure you that the problems are quite enormous.
“Please, honourable members, I want you to set aside whatever other competing considerations there are. President Muhammadu Buhari has the desire to hand over to whoever is going to inherit what he is working on right now — a safer Nigeria. It is true and I have to be very honest with you.
“I am also happy to inform you that at the recently concluded ministerial retreat which was organised by the office of the Secretary to the Government to the Federation on behalf of the president — the senate president and the honourable Speaker of the House of Representatives were there — I highlighted briefly some of the problems confronting us and they have all agreed to help us solve them.
“I am appealing to your conscience. All of you represent different parts of this country and I know you have the interest of Nigeria at heart. Our people are suffering; they are weeping; they are wailing; they are moaning; they are gnashing their teeth. We must help them.
“We have our own limitations as intelligence agencies. The rest can only be done through the legislative drive.”
Speaking further, Monguno said the successes in the fight against insecurity have been possible because of the intelligence-driven activities of the agencies.
He also commended the efforts of the Department of State Services (DSS), National Intelligence Agency (NIA), and Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) for the successes recorded in the fight against insecurity.
