Insecurity: Northern Group Chides Arewa Youths Over Call For NSA’s Resignation 

A northern political and pressure group, Northern Alternative Forum (NAF), has lashed out at the Arewa Youth Assembly (AYA) has for demanding called the resignation of the national security adviser (NSA), Maj Gen Babagana Monguno (rtd), over insecurity in the country.

Media reports had quoted spokesman of the youth group, Mohammed Danlami, as noting in a statement on Monday that the NSA has run out of ideas in tackling the security challenges in the country, and should therefore resign or be sacked by the president.

But countering the position of AYA, the chairman of the Northern Alternative Forum described as unpatriotic the outburst of the youth group against the NSA, saying it was actually doing the bidding of terrorists who thrive by media publicity that tends to undermine government’s efforts.

In a statement he issued on Tuesday, chairman of NAF, Mallam Gidado Ibrahim, noted that the statement issued by AYA is full of red herrings are intended to mislead the public and distract the government in the fight against terror.

Ibrahim said, “We have noted with dismay attempt by a group of northern youths which goes by the name Arewa Youth Assembly (AYA) to bring the government of President Muhammadu Buhari to disrepute by discrediting the National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj Gen Babagana Monguno (rtd).

“We wish to stated unequivocally that the call for the resignation of NSA by this youth group is irresponsible, recalcitrant, and a subtle of aiding the terror group in their gory and nefarious activities. It is even more worrisome that such a call is coming at a time when intelligence reports on the table of the NSA has led to the directive by the Federal Government that schools and other crowded places, which are often soft targets for the bandits and terrorists, should be closed to avert impending attacks.

“If not for the mischievous posture posture of the AYA to deliberately fly mendacious propaganda, minimal reading of the news would have been enough to know that the NSA and relevant intelligence agencies are working round the clock to stave off any attack on innocent Nigerians.”

The NAF chairman regretted that at a time when citizens are expected to rally round the government and security agencies to put an end to terrorists’ activities, some persons are out to “to create tension by creating the impression that the country security architecture is helpless in the terror war.

“We in NAF are persuaded to think that AYA is merely promoting another form of terror in the media to compound a situation security forces are working to contain. We urge well-meaning Nigerians to ignore the mischief being harshed by the youth group just to instill fear in them that the security agencies had become helpless.

“It is the Intelligence drive by the NSA and strategies to curb further attacks that has prompted the security measures being put in place to protect Nigerians from terror attacks. Therefore, the NSA cannot be said to have ran out of ideas. With what we have seen in the past few days indicate that there is deliberate move by the security forces to weed out these criminals who have been displaced from their hideouts in the forest and are trying to infiltrate the society.

“In days to come, Nigerians will begin to see the results of the intelligence strategies by the NSA. Asking a general to resign in the middle of war is tantamount to wish that terror prevails. But let me state here that as group that worked for the election of President Buhari, we won’t sit back and watch undermine the government. We shall continue to resist attempts to instigate Nigerians, against the president and the NSA.”