Senator Francis Fadahunsi, representing Osun East in the Senate, has called on President Bola Tinubu to reorganise Nigeria’s security management team by appointing a retired military officer as the National Security Adviser (NSA).
In a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media, Sam Segun-Progress, and obtained in Osogbo on Tuesday, Fadahunsi suggested that the current NSA, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, be redeployed to another area of national service where his skills could be better utilised.
The lawmaker made the recommendation amid calls for a comprehensive review of Nigeria’s military architecture, citing challenges in the chain of command between civilian leaders and military personnel. In a video clip of his Senate contribution obtained by our correspondent, Fadahunsi said, “The Minister of Defence is not a soldier or a retired general. The Minister of State, all of them are businessmen. The NSA is a retired policeman. Do you know that these soldiers call us—even those carrying superior guns than theirs—‘bloody civilians’? And that is what is affecting us.”
Fadahunsi praised the resignation of former Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru, and the nomination of former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Chris Musa (retd.), as Defence Minister-designate. However, he insisted that further changes were needed to improve the coordination of Nigeria’s fight against banditry and violent crime.
READ ALSO: Ribadu Meets US Defence Secretary Hegseth Over Trump’s Military Threat
“Those in charge of the defence architecture of the country have done their best, but it is necessary at this point to allow people with military backgrounds to come into the system and run with the President’s vision,” he added.
The senator’s call reflects growing concerns over civilian-military relations and the effectiveness of national security leadership in addressing persistent security challenges in the country.