Senator Francis Fadahunsi of Osun East has urged President Bola Tinubu to appoint a retired military officer as the National Security Adviser (NSA), saying it would strengthen the nation’s security management.
He also recommended that the current NSA, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, be redeployed to a role where his skills could be better utilized.
The lawmaker stressed that the current structure of Nigeria’s defence and security leadership lacks military experience at the top.
He pointed out that neither the Defence Minister nor the Minister of State for Defence is a retired military officer, while the NSA is a former police official.
According to Fadahunsi, this arrangement has affected the ability of civilian leadership to command respect from military personnel.
In a contribution during a recent Senate session, 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.”
He added that the President should ensure that those in charge of the country’s defence are capable of enforcing orders effectively.
The senator welcomed the resignation of the former Defence Minister, Mohammed Badaru, and praised the nomination of retired General Chris Musa as Defence Minister-designate.
However, he argued that President Tinubu should go a step further by replacing Ribadu with a retired military officer.
“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,” Fadahunsi said.
He emphasized that Ribadu’s talents could be better deployed in a position that aligns with his experience and core competencies.
The senator believes this adjustment would improve coordination in tackling banditry, insurgency, and violent crime across the country.
In a related development, President Tinubu recently nominated retired General Chris Musa as Defence Minister, signaling a shift towards integrating more military-experienced leaders into top security roles.