Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Danbazau: The next NSA Nigeria might need

For the Lieutenant General Abdulrahman Bello Danbazau (rtd), it’s being long a time the ex-General who once commanded one of the most powerful armies in the world as Chief of Army Staff has not been seen or heard in the media again.

Remember he headed the Ministry of Interior, in President Muhammadu Buhari’s first administration having been appointed in 2015 as Minister.

A fine gentleman to the core who is focused and savvy in deliveries of mandates of office assigned to him. When he led the Ministry of Interior, the Soldier now in civilian uniform made the ministry one of the bests in terms of performance

Those who works closely with him, will tell you that the soldier has place for excuses for failure to deliver on assigned responsibilities. This he made it known to officers and men in all agencies under Interior when he started off with a familiarization and stock taking tour of all the agencies and departments under the ministry at the time.

Danbazau undoubtedly brought his expertise to bear on the inherent challenges occasioned by the merger of the old Ministry of Interior and the disbanded Ministry of Police Affairs which gave birth to the new Ministry of Interior. Nigerians could see the high level of professionalism of Immigration Officers, Men of the Custodial Centres, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Federal Fire Service et al. He did this with a high level of transparency and accountability. He ensured that every kobo expended by heads of paramilitary agencies were accounted and like a magic, this actually worked until he left on a clean slate.

One will not forget to recall innovations under Danbazau’s when he commissioned the 28 Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens Card Centre as well as 28 operational vehicles, and made foreign investors who wished to do business in Nigeria to no longer have paper challenges.

He constituted inter-ministerial committee on Aviation Security, a committee whose aim is to provide modalities for training of aviation security officers for improved security at the nation’s airports.

Within one year, the Minister entered in to partnership agreements with the Ministries of Agriculture and Mining and Steel Development to provide security for agricultural investments and secure mining activities in the country which are all in line with the economic diversification policy of the Buhari Administration.

Danbazau keyed into President Muhammadu Buhari’s policy direction immediately he assumed office as Minister, hence, he never worked at criss purposes before he served out his tenure.

That he was chairman of security for the just concluded APC presidential primary election and also was the chairman in the last Primary Election.

In an article written for him in 2016 by one Mr Edwin Uhara on 10th November, 2016, he quoted Lt. Gen. Danbazzau as accepted to offer a technical assistance as a result of his passion for securing Nigeria’s territory when he wrote:

“While accepting the offer of technical assistance from America’s Federal Bureau of Investigation as well as partnership with the European Union on border management, counter terrorism, transborder crime, illegal migration and general security challenges, the Minister also adopted some home-grown solutions to overcome the challenges posed by the approximately 4, 500 KM border that are porous and extensive.

“Outside the Committee on Border Control Management, a standing committee to facilitate the effective management and control of our vast border in the face of growing terrorism and transborder crimes was constituted. Besides combating migrant smuggling and border security, the committee is to identify and compile existing international standards, legislations, strategies, guidelines, procedures among other tasks.”

In light of a rich profile of the ex-General in Nigeria Army, it would not be out of place for the next President not to be partisan about security issues in Nigeria, given the challenges confronting the citizens.

The Office of the National Security Adviser as it were, is saddled with the responsibility of coordinating security agencies, hence, the incoming President and Commander-in-Chief could leverage on this by bringing Gen. Danbazzau on stream as the next NSA.