How quest to win war against insecurity led to Homeland Security Office creation

…New office will strengthen internal security coordination, FG assures

When the news broke on Monday that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved the appointment of Adeyinka Fadewa, a retired Major General, as his Special Adviser on Homeland Security, many received it with mixed feelings.

For some, the action is in the right direction as anything that can curb the daily killing of innocent and helpless Nigerians and frequent sacking of villagers and farmers by terrorist groups is welcomed.

But other concerned citizens query the difference the appointment will make, considering that major efforts, great strategies and huge funds expended so far in the fight against insecurity, over the years, have yielded less result.

For them, there has been too much trial-by-error in the strategy as terrorists’ onslaughts keep mounting pressure on Nigeria’s embattled security agents. According to them, if there is a clear-cut strategy, the civilians in over 117 people reportedly killed in the recent military airstrike on Tumfa market in Zurmi, Zamfara State and 13 civilians also reportedly killed during aerial bombardment by Nigerian Air Force in Guradnayi in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State, would have been saved.

What will Fadewa do differently now that those in active service, especially military generals, are being targeted and killed by terrorists? Datti Pam, a disgruntled Plateau State-born academic, asked.

“Will the retired Major General stop the invasion of my village by terrorists or make the joint security operatives that mount roadblocks only when the terrorists have done damage to work better? He further asked.

But the presidency thinks otherwise. It noted that Fadewa is worth his salt considering his feats during active service.

Insisting that the appointment is in recognition of Fadewa’s exceptional record of service, strategic expertise, and outstanding contributions to Nigeria’s national security architecture, the federal government noted that the emergence of the retired Major General will strengthen internal security coordination.

Truly, Fadewa is a highly decorated retired general with over three decades of distinguished military and intelligence service spanning national security strategy, intelligence fusion, counter-terrorism operations, and international security diplomacy.

But many think that the appointment is not necessary as the fight against insecurity has taken on new dimensions that now require more foreign partners than duplicating internal roles, and of course, budgeting a huge sum for Fadewa’s office.

On his part, Alhassan Yohanna, a Kaduna-based hospitality entrepreneur, decried that what Fadewa has been appointed to do is the same thing the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) and the National Counter Terrorism Centre are created and hugely funded to do, yet with little result to show for the huge funds allocated to them.

“My governor inaugurated the Kaduna State Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR), Peace and Security Committee. This is sad. Instead of decisively dealing with terrorists, the government is disarming the ones they caught and reintegrating them into the society or military after killing many,” Alhassan lamented.

“These so-called repentant terrorists will be the biggest problem of Fadewa because their allegiance is to terrorist groups they once belonged to. For me, this is a big threat to homeland security and Fadewa’s job.”

Yohanna, who absconded from the Nigerian Defence Academy in Kaduna, over 20 years ago due to the harsh training sessions, to pursue university education, decried that the creation of too many offices will not solve Nigeria’s insecurity challenge, but will rather compound it as many are now making a living from it.

“If you know how much that has been spent on insecurity, yet little result, you will cry. The issue is because people are now profiting heavily from insecurity as ransom negotiators, middlemen between the government and terrorists, farmers and villages under their control.

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“Do not create new offices, work with the ones you have, after naming financiers of terrorism, go after them and their businesses, even their families because their actions and inactions have led to the death of many innocent Nigerians.

“Jail some, sentence some to death, confiscate their properties, deny them exit and medical treatments abroad and things will change for good because we need matching actions that will boost sincerity in the fight, coordination, sharing of intelligence among security agencies and utilizing such very well are all we need now,” he added.

Danny Elebute, a security expert, noted that the new appointment is a sign of disappointment of President Tinubu over the poor handling and little result in the fight against insecurity despite change of service chiefs, more budget for defence, among other commitments.

“Truly, Mr. President is not satisfied with the result his service chiefs are getting. If innocent Nigerians are no longer being killed, villages peaceful, famers return to farmlands without watching their back, worshippers safe, students safe at school and home from kidnappers, there will be no need to appoint a homeland security adviser,” Elebute noted.

He urged the presidency to call out the minister of Defence, military service chiefs, inspector general of Police, national security adviser, as well as others that are directly involved in the fight against insecurity, else the killing and spending spree will continue.

Read also: Tinubu appoints retired General Fadewa as Adviser on Homeland Security

But Bem Hembafan, a retired senior security personnel, thinks that Fadewa will make an impact considering that he knows how enormous his new job is and that his feats while in service would be in question if he fails now.

“I think Mr. President was advised better and the choice of Major General Fadewa is not out of place because many of his colleagues in service and retired are singing the praise of his competence,” Hembafan said.

“But the only issue for me is the Nigerian factor. Of course, General Fadewa will not work alone, who makes up his team? Will he have free hand to work, required information and support even from his colleagues?

“He should aim at addressing the underlying causes, before gradually progressing to resolving the immediate security threats,” he admonished.

Ademola Onitiri, a politician, also thinks that Fadewa will bring results as the persisting insecurity challenge is putting President Tinubu under serious pressure.

“Our president is looking for a result and he does not mind whoever will give him that result. So, Major General Fadewa’s appointment is one of such strategic moves by President Tinubu to ensure a safer country for all. I see peace returning soon,” Onitiri said.

But he called on other top security personnel and agencies not to see Homeland Security as a rival, rather work together with the retired general and support each other to defeat terror groups, which are Nigeria’s common enemy.

“We all need to fight terrorism because it affects everyone. Even if your family members have all relocated abroad or your children are guarded by security everywhere they go in the country, they will be lapsed someday that will endanger their lives, your friends can be kidnapped or someone you cherish. So, let’s support Mr. President’s efforts for safer villages, safer farmlands and safer country in general,” he urged.

Responding to the opinions that the appointment is another ‘food for the boys’, Hembafan dismissed that view, noting that it is a critical national role that requires competence and no politicking.

“If President Tinubu wants to settle the boys, there are other ways and not a sensitive area like insecurity. If you say every man has a price, Fadewa has passed that level, he is trained and professional to the core and does not need to accept the role to please anyone, if not to make an impact. Remember, he was called up from his peaceful retirement because he was highly recommended to the president,” Hembafan noted.

In their conclusion, some security experts think that Fadewa’s job is not an enviable one and that he needs all the support.

“Fadewa should give priority to the many ungoverned areas across the country that habour terrorists, especially the vast uninhabited and uncultivated areas in the North Central and North East regions,” they urged.