The Non-State Actors Consultative Forum (NOSACOF) has issued a warning against attempts to amend the law that created the National Security Adviser (NSA) position by introducing a new draft.
The forum warned that such a move would seriously disrupt the country’s security architecture in an open letter to President Bola Tinubu.
The letter, signed by Abdulrazaq Alkali, the coordinator of NOSACOF, pleaded with Tinubu to forbid the realization of such a proposal.
The letter is addressed to President Bola Ahmad Tinubu and is dated January 9, 2024.
Let’s begin by wishing each and every Nigerian a happy and prosperous new year, may the Almighty grant these wishes.
Respected One, With much worry, patriotism, and dedication for our dear Nigeria, we write this message to you. All Nigerians are well aware that under your government, things won’t be the same as before and that significant institutional and policy changes would be made in an effort to save the nation’s future. While he’s at it, Mr. President should be aware of the efforts being made by certain government officials to mislead him about certain constitutional and structural changes that need to be made to government institutions, all the while hiding the fact that their true motivation is their own political and personal gain. Mr. President, Sir, some members of your government are currently pushing a bill through the National Assembly that would alter the clause establishing the NSA office and permit the agency to hire and establish its own staff in a manner akin to that of current government agencies and parastatals. This move is misguided and could set a dangerous precedent.
First and foremost, if this measure is passed, either the entire NSA infrastructure will need to be redesigned to avoid conflicts with the constitutional provisions establishing it, or the relevant constitutional provisions will need to be amended to make room for the bill. Additionally, the bill’s final result is to reorganize the National Security Agency (NSA) into an agency or parastatal that will have unrestricted authority over the Department of State Service (DSS), the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), and the Military, among other intelligence agencies. This could lead to a great deal of overlap in the duties performed by these agencies, which will exacerbate the rivalry, discord, and lack of cooperation amongst them. As the center of current efforts to uphold and enforce agency-to-agency cooperation, the National Security Agency (NSA) benefits greatly from the staff and cooperation of its constituent security agencies, which prevents the NSA office from being perceived as a rival organization.
Second, it is standard procedure for the NSA to hire security agency personnel who have been trained and experienced to perform duties related to national security. As a result, turning the NSA office into an agency and letting it hire employees on its own will significantly lower the office’s operational efficiency. The reason for this is that the NSA office won’t be able to fill the positions with candidates who have the necessary experience and specialization; instead, it will have to spend years, if not decades, and billions of Naira training its staff members to the required level of competency; additionally, the other security agencies won’t want to share staff members with the NSA because they will feel like they are no longer partners in the NSA. This is undoubtedly a bad idea, and the timing is even worse given the nation’s current security and financial issues.
Finally, but just as importantly, Mr. President, the National Security Agency (NSA) is one of the few offices that employs highly qualified and professional personnel who are selected from among the several security agencies primarily on the basis of their qualifications, abilities, and merit. The risk of politicizing the agency through biased and unjustified recruitments, as seen in many government agencies (including some security agencies), exists if it is permitted to follow the path taken by other agencies and parastatals. If this occurs in the NSA office, it will not be in the best interests of our national security.
It is your responsibility, Mr. President, to make the best decisions for our nation, and I have no doubt that you will refuse to allow a law of this nature to be passed with your name or endorsement.
