By Smart Chuks | SaharaNews247
When a former National Security Adviser speaks openly about what he describes as deliberate obstruction inside the very heart of presidential power, the nation is compelled to listen. Babagana Monguno, a retired major general who served as Nigeria’s National Security Adviser under President Muhammadu Buhari, has offered a disturbing account of how internal power struggles, informal influence networks and withheld funds allegedly weakened Nigeria’s security architecture during a critical period.
In a detailed account contained in From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari, Monguno claims that a powerful inner circle within the presidency blocked the release of funds approved by Buhari, undermined the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), and exposed Nigeria to avoidable security risks. His revelations have reopened long-standing debates about governance, accountability and the real centres of power during the Buhari administration.
This report examines Monguno’s claims in depth, places them within Nigeria’s broader political and security context, and explores what they mean for the country’s future.
A Security Memo That Triggered a Crisis
According to Monguno, the chain of events began with what should have been a routine security precaution. The commander of the Presidential Air Fleet reportedly raised concerns that the company supplying aviation fuel for presidential aircraft was under investigation and could be indicted. From a national security standpoint, Monguno argues, continuing to rely on such a supplier posed operational and reputational risks.
Acting within his mandate, Monguno forwarded the commander’s memo to President Buhari with a recommendation that the supplier be changed. He maintains that Buhari approved the recommendation. Under normal circumstances, that approval should have settled the matter.
It did not.
Instead, Monguno says the decision triggered fierce resistance from within the Presidential Villa. He recounts confrontations with the late Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, and alleges that Mamman Daura, a close relative and confidant of Buhari, personally intervened. What began as a technical security recommendation quickly morphed into an institutional standoff.
For Monguno, this was the moment he realised that formal authority and presidential approval did not necessarily translate into effective power.
Allegations of Withheld Funds and Silent Sabotage
The most troubling part of Monguno’s account lies in his claim that funds approved by President Buhari for the NSA’s office were deliberately withheld. He alleges that the finance ministry, acting under pressure from powerful figures loyal to the presidency’s inner circle, delayed or blocked releases meant for critical security operations.
Monguno says the consequences were immediate and damaging. Subscriptions to intelligence platforms lapsed. Technical partnerships with foreign intelligence agencies stalled. Surveillance infrastructure around sensitive locations, including the Presidential Villa itself, became vulnerable due to unpaid services and unrenewed contracts.
In modern security operations, funding delays are not a minor inconvenience. Intelligence gathering depends on constant access to technology, data streams and international cooperation. A missed payment can mean lost access. Lost access can mean lost lives.
If Monguno’s account is accurate, Nigeria’s security apparatus was weakened not by lack of strategy or manpower, but by internal obstruction.
The Role of Informal Power Networks
At the heart of Monguno’s revelations is a familiar Nigerian problem: the dominance of informal power over formal institutions. While the constitution defines the powers of offices, real influence often lies with unelected advisers, relatives and trusted associates.
Monguno’s narrative paints a picture of a presidency where key decisions could be quietly neutralised by a small group operating outside official channels. These individuals, he suggests, had no constitutional authority over national security budgets but possessed enough influence to stall implementation.
This is not a new accusation in Nigerian politics. Successive administrations have faced criticism over “cabals” that allegedly operate behind the scenes. What makes Monguno’s account striking is its specificity. He names individuals, describes encounters and links actions to concrete institutional consequences.
For analysts, this raises uncomfortable questions. How many presidential decisions were never fully implemented? How many policies failed not because they were flawed, but because they were quietly undermined?
Institutional Memory and the Cost of Disruption
Beyond funding, Monguno also highlights what he describes as the systematic sidelining of institutional structures within the security apparatus. He claims the Special Services Office, which serves as the permanent secretariat for intelligence coordination, was marginalised. At various points, he says, the NSA’s office operated without a permanent secretary.
In security governance, continuity matters. Institutional memory ensures that intelligence relationships, operational protocols and strategic lessons survive beyond individual office holders. When bureaucratic structures are weakened, knowledge is lost, coordination suffers and mistakes are repeated.
Monguno argues that this erosion of structure was not accidental but political. The effect, he says, was to make the NSA’s office more dependent, less autonomous and more vulnerable to external interference.
National Security Implications Nigeria Cannot Ignore
The implications of Monguno’s claims extend far beyond personal grievances or historical curiosity. Nigeria continues to battle multiple security threats, from insurgency in the northeast to banditry and kidnapping in the northwest, separatist tensions in the southeast and violent crime across urban centres.
In such an environment, intelligence failure can be catastrophic. Lapses in surveillance coverage, delayed information sharing and weakened international cooperation reduce the state’s ability to anticipate and prevent attacks.
Monguno’s account suggests that some of these weaknesses may not have been inevitable. They may have been the result of deliberate choices, internal politics and misplaced loyalties.
For a country already struggling with public trust in governance, this is a sobering possibility.
Assessing Credibility and Limits of the Claims
It is important to approach Monguno’s allegations with journalistic balance. His account is drawn from a published book and has been widely reported by Nigerian media outlets. As a former NSA, he occupied a position that gave him direct insight into the issues he describes.
However, many of the details he references involve classified documents, internal memos and closed-door decisions. Independent verification of every claim is difficult. Those named in his account have not, in most cases, publicly responded to the specific allegations.
Still, Monguno’s revelations align with long-standing reports of intense power struggles within the Buhari administration. They also reflect structural vulnerabilities in Nigeria’s governance system, where informal influence can override institutional processes.
In investigative terms, his account should be treated as a significant primary source that warrants further scrutiny, not dismissal.
Lessons for Governance and Reform
Monguno’s story offers important lessons for Nigeria’s democratic and security institutions.
First, presidential approval must be matched by enforceable execution. When decisions can be quietly reversed or stalled, accountability collapses.
Second, critical security funding should be insulated from political interference. Ring-fenced budgets, emergency funding mechanisms and stronger legislative oversight can help ensure continuity.
Third, whistleblower protections and transparent audit processes are essential. Senior officials should be able to raise concerns without fear of isolation or retaliation.
Finally, Nigeria must confront the culture of informal power. No democracy can function effectively when unelected actors wield more influence than constitutionally established institutions.
A Warning From Inside the System
Babagana Monguno’s account is ultimately a warning from someone who sat at the centre of power and witnessed its weaknesses firsthand. Whether every allegation stands the test of time or not, the broader message is clear: national security cannot survive on paper approvals and public rhetoric alone.
It requires functioning institutions, protected processes and leaders willing to ensure that decisions are implemented, not sabotaged.
For Nigerians and international observers alike, Monguno’s revelations provide rare insight into how governance failures at the top can ripple downward, leaving a nation less secure than it ought to be.
As Nigeria continues to reform its security architecture and democratic institutions, the questions raised by this episode should not be ignored. They go to the heart of how power is exercised, how decisions are enforced, and how the state protects its citizens.
About the Author
Smart Chuks is an investigative journalist with SaharaNews247, focusing on governance, national security and public accountability. His work examines how policy decisions and power structures shape the lived realities of citizens in Nigeria and beyond.
