- Babagana Monguno, former national security adviser, said a powerful cabal inside the presidency undermined his office during Muhammadu Buhari’s administration
- He disclosed that entrenched interests blocked routine security measures, starved his office of funds, and weakened Nigeria’s defence systems
- Monguno argued that both Buhari and Nigerians were victims of a network that enriched itself while eroding national capacity
Babagana Monguno, former national security adviser (NSA), has said a cabal within the presidency undermined his office during the Muhammadu Buhari administration.
Monguno made the claim in From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari, a biography written by Charles Omole. He said entrenched interests inside the villa resisted routine security measures and weakened the country’s defence systems.
Source: Twitter
Fuel supplier dispute exposes entrenched interests
According to Monguno, a routine recommendation to change the fuel supplier for the presidential air fleet exposed deep-rooted interests. He said the fleet’s commander had raised concerns that the supplier was under investigation and could pose a security risk if indicted.
Monguno explained that he wrote to Buhari, attached the commander’s memo, and recommended a change of supplier, which the president approved. He said the decision angered Abba Kyari, then chief of staff, who demanded, “Why did you do this?” Monguno said he replied that silence in the event of an incident would have left responsibility “on my neck”.
He added that the supplier had first been introduced during the Olusegun Obasanjo administration on a temporary basis but had developed strong roots under successive governments.
Mamman Daura’s intervention and fallout
Monguno said Mamman Daura, Buhari’s nephew, later visited his residence and described the decision as an “injustice” to the supplier while questioning his motives. He said he reiterated that the recommendation came from the fleet’s commander and was a standard risk mitigation measure.
The disagreement, he said, widened the rift and made him persona non grata to Daura. “The Minister of Finance, who owed loyalty to Mamman Daura, was co-opted to withhold funds from the NSA office even after Buhari’s approval,” Monguno said. He added: “Buhari and Nigerians were both victims of the Cabal that enriched itself beyond measure.”
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Starved office and weakened security
Monguno said starving the NSA office of funds weakened Nigeria’s security architecture and effectively blinded the state. He explained that funds inherited from his predecessor had been exhausted, while subscriptions for critical systems and partnerships with foreign agencies had lapsed.
He said surveillance infrastructure around the villa was maintained with funds from the NSA’s budget, but approvals to keep it current were repeatedly stalled. Monguno claimed he sent more than thirty reminders and made repeated face-to-face pleas to Buhari, who often said, “Leave the file”, or later, “I’ve sent it to Malam Abba”.
He said the gap between presidential intent and execution steadily eroded national capacity.
Institutional memory sidelined
Monguno stated that institutional memory also suffered. “The Special Services Office, the permanent secretariat that records, collates, and preserves the minutes of the intelligence community, was sidelined,” he said.
He added that about 20 national security council meetings were held without the proper secretariat, with notes taken by staff from the chief of staff’s office.
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Monguno said he refused to proceed with a council meeting after Boss Mustapha became secretary to the government of the federation (SGF) until his secretariat was admitted. He said he operated without a permanent secretary for 20 months due to what he described as political calculus.
Even after Buhari approved the appointment, Monguno said a counter-note from a gatekeeper undermined the decision. “You do not need a conspiracy to weaken a system; you only need petty sabotage repeated often enough,” he added.
In 2021, TheCable reported that Monguno, who served as NSA from 2015 to 2023, was increasingly cutting the image of an isolated, powerless NSA under Buhari because most of his expectations had not been met, and also because the president had redefined his role.
Source: Depositphotos
Why Buhari redesigned the naira
Legit.ng earlier reported that former President Muhammadu Buhari approved the naira redesign policy as a measure to tackle vote-buying during elections, and not to target any political party, according to a new book on his administration.
The disclosure was contained in From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari, written by Dr. Charles Omole, Director-General of the Institute for Police and Security Policy Research (IPSPR). The book was presented in Abuja on December 15.
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According to the book, the naira redesign policy became a major issue during the latter part of Buhari’s administration. Sections of the public and political actors reportedly interpreted the policy as being directed against the ruling party ahead of the 2023 general election.
Proofreading by James Ojo, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng