Jonathan fires Azazi, Haliru

Azazi has been replaced by retired Colonel Sambo Dasuki. No immediate reasons were given for the shake-up, but many believed it had to do with the deteriorating security situation in the country, especially the insurgence of Boko Haram.   Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati first broke the news […]

Azazi has been replaced by retired Colonel Sambo Dasuki. No immediate reasons were given for the shake-up, but many believed it had to do with the deteriorating security situation in the country, especially the insurgence of Boko Haram.

 

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati first broke the news last night through his Twitter handle @abati1990. “NSA Azazi dropped. Col. Sambo Dasuki rtd. New NSA,” Abati first tweeted before adding “Minister of Defence also dropped. Further details later.”

Abati had earlier tweeted that President Jonathan, who just arrived from the UN Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, was to meet all his security Chiefs.

The meeting, which lasted about one-and-a-half hours at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, was attended by Azazi and Bello.

The meeting at the State House lasted about four hours.

Speaking to newsmen after the meeting, Police Affairs Minister, Caleb Olubolade said the President expressed displeasure with the state of insecurity in the nation.

The minister said “the president particularly didn’t feel too well about the loss of lives. He said we need to do something proactively to stop it at all cost”.

Olubolade said the meeting was a usual exercise between the President and service chiefs saying “It was a useful discussion on certain areas where we had problems, how to tackle them, how the security agencies can be more effective and the role the populace have to play in assisting in the war against terror.

“We had to reappraise the other measures. We had been taking before now and look at how the populace can be carried along to get more information so that peace can return to the land. We do not really have to kill Nigerians to sustain peace. The C-in-C believes that we need to talk and do what is right to ensure that we calm the nerves and make sure that this incessant bombing are minimised. It is a source of worry to all.”

On his part, the National Security Adviser, General Andrew Azazi said the meeting wasn’t an emergency one describing it as normal.

While commenting on the listing of leaders of Boko Haram leaders as terrorists, Azazi said “That is a decision by America. It is not a decision by us. They probably feel that those are the people who they need to classify as terrorists. I can’t begin to tell you what we discussed at the security meeting. But everything is under control.”

The meeting was attended by Vice President Namadi Sambo and the Minister of Defence, Haliru Bello.

Others present were Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin; Chief of Army Staff, General Onyeabo Azubuike Ihejirika; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Mohammed Umar and Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Dikko Abubakar.