Names are being dropped, mostly in security and media circles, on the person likely to become appointed as Nigeria’s next National Security Adviser (NSA) by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The current holder and longest-serving NSA in Nigeria, Babagana Monguno is a retired Military General. Apart from the former Chief of Army Staff and Minister of
The NSA is not like any other political appointment that could be carried out to satisfy political patronage, as the officer to be so assigned is expected to be well-informed and extremely knowledgeable enough to provide serious and spot-on advisories, while effectively coordinating security matters of state, diplomatic efforts, being in tune with economic policy, and the intelligence services, towards a peaceful and prosperous country that is fully engaged in a holistic sense of national security.
While most of the former and current holders of the position of NSA have been retired Army officers, national security issues are beyond the exclusive ken of the military.