Acting President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday sacked the National Security Adviser, Maj.-Gen. Sarki Mukhtar (rtd), and replaced him with Lt. Gen. Aliyu Gusau (rtd), who held the same position during the Olusegun Obasanjo administration.Mukhtar’s removal followed a meeting of the National Security Council over the renewed violence in Jos, Plateau State.
A statement from the Senior Special Assistant to the Acting President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Niboro, announced Mukhtar’s sacking.
The short statement, which was titled “Gusau replaces Mukhtar as National Security Adviser,” reads, “The Acting President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, has appointed Lt.-Gen. Aliyu Gusau (rtd) as National Security Adviser.
“He replaces Maj.-Gen. Sarki Mukhtar (rtd).
“Dr. Jonathan thanked the outgoing NSA for his services to the nation and the present administration, and wished him well in his future endeavours.”
The closed-door meeting, which lasted about five hours, had the heads of all the security agencies in the country in attendance, as well as some relevant ministers and other Federal Government officials.
They include the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ogbonna Onovo; the Director-General of the State Security Service, Mr. Afakriya Gadzama; and the Director-General of the Nigerian Intelligence Agency, among several others.
Ministers in attendance include Police Affairs, Dr. Ibrahim Lame; Interior, Dr. Mustapha Shettima; Defence, Maj.-Gen. Godwin Abbe (rtd); and the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Adetokunbo Kayode.
Details of what transpired at the meeting were not made available to journalists as the participants refused to make any comments.
However, Niboro, informed journalists that “issues surrounding the violence in Jos came up for serious discussion and measures are being taken.”
Our correspondent gathered from a reliable source in the Presidency that Mukhtar’s removal was one of the “measures being taken to stabilise the security situation in the country.”
It was gathered that Jonathan felt that the reoccurrence of the crisis in Jos, as well as recent security challenges in several parts of the country, suggested that the NSA was not on the top of his job, hence the need for a change.
The source added that reports available to the Acting President also indicated that there were serious lapses on the part of the security agencies.
“The Acting President did not mince words in informing them (security chiefs) that they must perform or resign, or lose their jobs; he made it clear that the administration would not joke with the security of the lives and property of Nigerians in any part of the country.
“He warned them to sit-up; he was indeed very bitter at the renewed violence in Jos,” the source said.
Also, it was gathered that recent reports linking Mukhtar to underground moves to replace Yar’Adua in 2011, or even become vice-president in case Jonathan emerges substantive President, did not help his cause.
Feelers in the Presidency indicate that Gusau is highly regarded in the government, and is seen as a stabilising force, especially in the manner he carried out the same assignment for Obasanjo.
Mukhtar had no inkling that he would be sacked on Monday as he arrived for the meeting alongside the security chiefs at 2pm.
Interestingly, Mukhtar, who regularly addressed journalists after similar meetings during the January 2010 episode of the Jos crisis, refused to talk as he made for his waiting official vehicle after the meeting.
“How did the meeting go?” journalists asked him as he walked briskly to the parked car.
But Mukhtar only waved while a set expression remained on his face as he entered the vehicle and was driven away.
Moments later, Niboro informed journalists, who were still making efforts to get further information on what transpired at the meeting, that a serious announcement was coming.
It later turned out to be Mukhtar’s removal, and Gusau’s second coming as NSA.
It was gathered that, at the meeting, Jonathan expressed “serious displeasure at the latest incident in Jos, particularly after his visit to the town immediately after the last crisis in January and assured Nigerians that that was the last time such would happen.”
It was further gathered that Jonathan used very strong words to make his views known to the security chiefs at the meeting.
A source informed our correspondent that Jonathan wondered how the roving band of killers, believed to be behind the attacks, were able to plan and carry out the attacks without attracting the attention of security agencies, who were supposed to be carrying out serious surveillance activities in the town.
The security chiefs were also directed to investigate and find out how their officers in Jos were unable to get wind of the latest attacks, despite their surveillance activities.
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