The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has voiced serious concerns over what it alleges to be President Bola Tinubu's lack of interest in national security.
Professor Usman Yusuf, a prominent member of the forum, made these claims during an exclusive interview on AriseTV on Tuesday, December 06, 2023
Yusuf accused President Tinubu of prioritizing economic matters over security issues. "Our president and commander in chief, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, from his words, deeds, and body language, is not interested in security," Yusuf asserted.
"All he's interested in is the economy, where the money is, and he's planted his people. Security, banditry, and others appear irritant to him."
Expressing dissatisfaction with the perceived lack of hands-on involvement by the president in security matters, Yusuf criticised the state of the military, stating that it seems to have gone rogue and is not accountable to civilian authority.
He stated the importance of civilian oversight, drawing a comparison with the United States' presidential system, where the military is subordinate to civilian authority.
The northern elder also raised questions about the role of the Minister of Defence, alleging that President Tinubu has outsourced the security of the country to the military.
In light of recent events, particularly the bomb attack in Kaduna, Yusuf called for an independent judicial panel to investigate the incident.
"Whatever the president is planning to do, the military cannot investigate itself. We've had several incidents, and there have been no outcomes," Yusuf remarked. "There should be an independent judicial panel headed by a retired Chief Justice of Nigeria, a former defence chief, traditional leaders, and religious leaders who are interested in protecting the people."