Civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, (HURIWA), on Monday, urged President Bola Tinubu to change his National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, service chiefs and heads of security agencies before it is too late.

Besides, HURIWA said the NSA ought to have resigned from duty as soon as news emerged officially that a Special Adviser on Security in the person of retired AIG Nuhu Ribadu has been picked by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu since according to HURIWA, it is inconceivable that a President can work with multiple advisers on the same thematic area of national security just as the Rights group said since Monguno has refused to bow out honourably, he should be fired for non-performance.

HURIWA, in a statement by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, wondered why the NSA and heads of security agencies inherited from the failed Muhammadu Buhari administration are still in offices more than three weeks after President Tinubu assumed office on May 29, 2023.

The statement by HURIWA followed a report by global rights group, Amnesty International that at least 123 innocent Nigerians have been killed in Plateau, Benue and Kaduna states since Tinubu’s assumption of office.

According to reports, in June alone, gunmen killed at least 60 residents in separate attacks in Plateau State. In May, at least 100 people were killed in various communities of Benue State. Between 15-17 May, over 100 people were killed in the Mangu region of Plateau state. In southern Kaduna, over 100 people were killed by gunmen between December 2022 and April 2023.

Suspected terrorists on Saturday also killed a traditional title holder, the Ardo of Birni and Kewaye of Zazzau Emirate, Shuaibu Mohammed, and his four children. The incident occurred at about 10pm in Dorayi village of Zaria Local Government Area, Kaduna State.

Southern Kaduna, especially, has a tragic history of recorded violent killings by armed herdsmen, bandits, and terrorists. In 2020, over 500 innocent people were killed by terrorists and bandits. In 2021, 1192 residents were killed and over 3,000 people kidnapped in Kaduna. In 2022, 1052 people were slaughtered, 4227 kidnapped in the state. In first quarter of 2023, 214 people were killed, 746 were kidnapped.

During his inauguration speech, Tinubu promised to “defend the nation from terror and all forms of criminality that threaten the peace and stability of our country”, adding that “to effectively tackle this menace, we shall reform both our security doctrine and its architecture”.

Commenting, HURIWA’s Onwubiko said, “However, almost one month in office, the new President is yet to rejig the security architecture he promised Nigerians to inject reforms into. Delay is dangerous.

“The lacklustre approach to national security by President Bola Tinubu needs to change. He should provide Nigerians with a security template. He should prioritise security as the mainstay of his administration in addition to restoration of the collapsed economy to a viable state.

“Why for instance are the unsuccessful service chiefs and NSA inherited from the failed Muhammadu Buhari administration still in offices? They should all be replaced immediately. It is only logical for fresh wine to be in new bottle and not old wine in new bottle. The failed IGP who ought to have retired statutorily in March but continues to remain in office should be dismissed and the salaries he earned since his retirement was due should be refunded to Nigeria.