By YAKUBU SHENDAM
When two elephants fight, it’s the grass that suffers. It is also conventional wisdom that a kingdom divided against itself can not stand. This wisdom demands that we all work together harmoniously for the good of the society. Needless in fighting and name calling for whatever reason is baseless and counterproductive especially for a country like Nigeria that’s embroidered in multifaceted woes.
The announcement on Friday from the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) that Gen Olonisakin and the other service chiefs will be investigated and prosecuted by president Mohammadu Buhari for diverting funds budgeted for the purchase of arms was as empty as anything one could think of. That it is coming from a respectable personality like Babagana Mungono (Rtd) smacks of nothing but mischief which is aimed at getting back at no other person than Lt. General TY Buratai. It’s needles to say that sheer envy and hatred by Maj Gen BM Monguno against Gen. Buratai has persisted for sometimes now. A fight between these two giants won’t benefit anyone but wreck havoc on the gains made in the war against terror so far. The worst part is that Buratai and the service chiefs have done nothing to warrant this wicked malicious attack apart from their exceptional and meritorious service to the nation.
It would be recalled that after a meritorious service to Nigeria, the immediate former service chiefs were meritoriously nominated and appointed ambassadors immediately after resigning from their positions. There’s no doubt that president Buhari must have done due diligence on them before appointing them. The sudden outburst by the NSA that funds were embezzled by people who gave their lives to salvage this nation is uncalled for. We should rather be thinking of ways to promote their good deeds and make them heroes to be emulated by those behind them and not to be maligned.
As the NSA, how could Babagana Mungono claim to have been unaware of arms purchase dealings when all along he was full of praises for the service chiefs and the president for their roles in decimating the remnants of terror cells in the North East? Where’s the sudden attack coming from if not a deliberate attempt to blackmail the erstwhile COAS. TY Buratai and Babagana Mungono fortunately are all proud sons of Borno State, the name calling initiated by the NSA will not only affect the fragile peace in Borno State but throw the country more into panic, and chaos.
If Babagana Mungono believes funds are missing from the defense budget, he should account for the funds under his watch and stop looking for scapegoats as the personalities of the people he’s trying to blackmail to save his name are above board and impeccable. They’ve paid their dues and the president and indeed Nigerians have given them a huge vote of confidence for their stewardship.
As NSA, Babagana Mungono should learn to behave as a national security officer, he should be more matured, focus and deep in thinking. He appears to be too flippant and unable to coordinate the security architecture of Nigeria. He should therefore honourably resign his appointment as the National Security Adviser for his failure to cordinanate national security. Rather than playing superiority games at the detriment of the Nigeria and the North East in particular.
Everybody who’s familiar with the security situation in Nigeria and the North East in particular won’t entertain the baseless allegations of the NSA. Babagana Mungono should therefore be the last person to play with the lives of his countrymen simply because he wants to settle personal scores.
Again I must say, Nigerians are very conscious and very discerning. If funds are missing from the budget of the ministry of defense which were meant for the purchase of arms then, the office of the National Security Adviser should account for the money and not the foot soldiers whose duty is to command the war efforts.
*Yakubu Shendam, a National youth president and security analyst, wrote from Abuja.
