Why Andrew Azazi, National Security Adviser, Should Resign – By Nnamdi Anekwe-Chive

On Thursday, 8th of March, 2012 the
suitability or otherwise of Andrew Azazi
for the position of National Security
Adviser became a subject for public
debate. The Nation was once again
jolted to news of a failed Joint Rescue
Operation which involved Britain’s
Special Forces with the Nigerian armed
forces in North Western city of Sokoto.
The operation was to rescue a Briton
named Chris McManus and an Italian,
Franco Lamolinara, from the den of
Boko Haram. Media reports suggest
they were killed by their captors before
they could be rescued. Now, who on
earth advised the President to allow
British Special Forces to conduct such
operation on our soil? Is it that we don’t
have any trained special forces that
could carry out the job? This latest
foolery is an indictment on our national
security watchers and the unfortunate
event needs to be thoroughly
investigated.
Before I continue, it is important I take
you into my understanding of what the
Office of the National Security Adviser
represents.
The National Security Adviser, NSA,
serves as the Chief Adviser to the
President on Security matters. It is a
cabinet level position and one of the
most powerful ones to be held by
anybody. The NSA is assisted by staff
drawn from the Armed Forces,
Department of State and the
Intelligence Community. The job of the
staff at the office of the NSA is to
produce research, briefings, reports
and intelligence for the NSA to review
and present to the National Security
Council and the President.
General Owoeye Azazi (rtd) – the
current NSA – was appointed in 2010
by the then Acting President Goodluck
Jonathan, and was subsequently re-
appointed when the President was
elected the following year. He is one of
the most decorated and experienced
military officers in Nigeria’s history. He
has a Masters in Strategic Studies, and
he is an alumnus of National Defence
College and Command and Staff
College. He has equally attended
several intelligence and security
training courses and programmes both
in the United Kingdom and United
States. One would think the
qualification and experience of Gen.
Azazi will be brought to bear on the
office. It seems the case is the
opposite.
With the current National security
challenges – which have loudly
expressed themselves through
terrorism, armed robbery, sea piracy,
kidnapping etc – going unabated, one
is tempted to question the worth of
intelligence and advise being offered to
the President by his Chief Security
Adviser. Other wise how do you resolve
sea piracy by advising the President to
approve outsourcing of maritime
security of Nigeria to an individual
private firm. The territorial waters of
Nigeria is our collective national
security and an attempt to concession
it to a company endangers the lives of
all Nigerian citizens. What happened to
Nigerian Navy? Are they not capable of
policing our territorial waters? Why
didn’t the NSA advise the President to
restructure the Navy and properly fund
the institution with the billions of naira
meant for the outsourcing firm? This
clearly shows either lack of intelligent
judgment or mischief on the part of our
entire National Security apparatus.
Up till now, the Nation has no credible
National Security Strategy to tackle the
myriad of security challenges,
especially the Boko Haram menace.
One would have thought that a serious
minded government must have
established a state of the art counter-
terrorism centre manned by well-
trained intelligent security personnel.
Counter-terror is not about being a
highly decorated five star general with
pot belly or is it about a commander in
chief that cannot articulate his
thoughts and visions about a secured
nation, rather counter-terrorism “ is the
practices, tactics, techniques, and
strategies that governments, militaries,
police departments and corporations
adopt to prevent or in response to
terrorist threats and/or acts, both real
and imputed”. Nothing in that
definition suggests that our
government has any plan to tackle
Boko Haram. A government that is
constantly on the defensive, dropping
bylines and futuristic prognosis that
keep us entirely at the mercy of the
terrorist group isn’t worth its name. A
retired military intelligence officer
opined that “….you don’t defend
against terror, you go after terror and
its support network…”
Counter-terrorism is a risky and multi-
million dollar venture and that’s why
serious countries invest all they have
got to secure citizens, as well as
national infrastructure. The Nigerian
government needs an efficient tribe of
smart, patriotic young officers who can
deploy 21st century intelligence
adventurism towards tackling terror.
Boko Haram has an efficient support
network with strategic advisers who
have been in the game of terror for
decades. What does it take a young
Nigerian Intelligence personnel to
infiltrate the cells of Boko Haram as an
undercover agent, pretending to work
for them and at the same time relaying
information to the counter terrorism
center? What does it take Nigerian
Security establishment to recruit
Nigeriens and Chadians, pay them in
hard currency to act spies within the
organization of the group? The
President has a counter-terrorism
adviser but to all intents and purposes,
that office, situated within OFNSA has
failed.
In other climes, it’s the progressive
objective of the political and security
leadership of a Nation to continuously
develop and equip their armed forces
and intelligence services. But here, we
outsource Navy’s job to a private firm
and the Army’s function to a foreign
country.
One might be tempted to blame
President Jonathan for all the National
security hassles after all he is the
commander in chief. But he is such a
fellow that never questions or
interrogates the suggestions and ideas
of his appointees. Whether a policy
decision is good or bad, he appends
signature and move on. The NSA is a
soldier’s soldier and is qualified and
capable of leading a country like
Nigeria so his decisions and counsel to
President Jonathan springs from his
beliefs , experience and nuances.
Perhaps he is overwhelmed with the
job or his motley of staff is not
providing quality research, briefings
and intelligence.
And that is why I believe General
Andrew Azazi (rtd)should resign
immediately. If he doesn’t, the
President should sack him to save us
the.

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