Group chides Unongo for calling for service chiefs’ probe

By Patrick Andrew

A group, Nigeria Security Watch Forum, has faulted Chief Paul Unongo’s call for probe of the heads of miliarty departments for their alleged insubordination to the Minister of Defence, Gen. Mohammed Aliyu Gusau (Rtd).

Describing the statement as “part of the continued war against President Goodluck Jonathan”, by self-centred elements, the forum in a release signed by its National president, Malam Abubakar Danbaki, said both the 1999 constitution and the National Defence Policy, which Chief Unongo alluded to, are clear on the powers of Chief of Defence Staff and the Service Chiefs, who Unongo alleged acted in insubordination to the minister.

According to him, the provisions of the law are clear on who runs the Army, Navy, and the Air Force on a day to day basis warning that these obvious provisions should not be misinterpreted for selfish purposes.

“We have read the 1999 constitution and the National Defence Policy and the provisions of the law are clear on who runs the Army, Navy, and the Air Force on a day to day basis. General Gusau as Minister of Defence should uphold the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

According to the group, “The north today has been demystified because of the actions of the likes of Gusau.”

Danbaki said that rather than call for a probe, Unongo should have asked the Minister of Defence to resign since he ought not to have accepted the appointment if he knew he was not going to act on the provisions of both the constitution and National Defence Policy.

“So much noise has been made of General Gusau’s competence in the words of Chief Paul Unongo as “Spy Chief of the Nigerian Federation.” If General Gusau, in his more than 40 years in the various security agencies, didn’t lay the foundation for a security system that will stand the test of time, we leave Nigerians to be the judge.”

“Till date, in spite of the 40 years presence of General Gusau in sensitive security positions, Nigeria has no national ID system thus the intelligence gathering capacity of the Police, SSS, etc is near zero. So, what has he achieved? The north today is facing serious security crisis, yet the likes of Unongo are of the view that we have produced a spy chief?”