THE National Security adviser (NSA) during the administration of late President Muhammadu Buhari, Mr Babagana Monguno, says the former president and Nigerians were both victims of a cabal bent on enriching itself beyond measure.

Mr Monguno’s views were captured in a book entitled, ‘From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari,’ a biography written by Dr Charles Omole, a lawyer and security consultant.

“Buhari and Nigerians were both victims of the Cabal that enriched itself beyond measure,” he said. Mr Monguno revealed the incident that happened when he simply wanted to change the fuel supplier for the presidential air fleet.

Mr Monguno chronicled how an unhealthy desire to enrich themselves prompted members of the cabal to act against Nigeria’s interest.

Here is an example. Following the view of commander of the presidential air fleet that the fuel supplier was under investigation and posed a security risk, the ex-NSA wrote to President Buhari, attached the commander’s memo, and recommended changing the supplier. The president later approved the change of the fuel supplier, but this was resisted by the cabal.

Former Chief of Staff, Mr Abba Kyari, was angry about the decision, confronting the ex-NSA about it. “I replied that remaining silent in the event of an incident would have left responsibility on my neck,” the ex-NSA said.

But this was not all. President Buhari’s nephew, Mr Mamman Daura, later visited the ex-NSA, describing the decision as an injustice to the fuel supplier. Mr Monguno said that Mr Daura even questioned his motives behind the removal of the fuel supplier.

“But I reiterated that the recommendation came from the fleet’s commander and was a standard risk mitigation measure,” the ex-NSA said. “The disagreement made me a persona non grata to Daura,” he disclosed.

“The Minister of Finance, who owed loyalty to Mamman Daura, was co-opted to withhold funds from the NSA office even after Buhari’s approval,” he said, stressing that his office was starved of funds due to the singular incident of removing a fuel supplier.

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He said there was often a very big gap between what President Buhari wanted to do and what would eventually be done, noting that a typical example of the hiatus existing in the administration was when he wanted to continue carrying out surveillance infrastructure around Aso Villa.

He sent more than 30 reminders to President Buhari, apart from numerous face-to-face pleas to him, yet the response he always got from the president was, “leave the file,“or “I’ve sent it to Malam Abba.”

Mr Monguno said he operated without a permanent secretary for 20 months due to ‘political calculus,’ noting that even after President Buhari approved the appointment in his office, there would always be someone to counter the president’s approval.

He said President Buhari did not need a conspiracy to weaken the Nigerian system, stressing that “you only need petty sabotage repeated often enough.”

Buhari and Monguno

President Buhari died in London on July 13 2025, according to an X post by his former aide, Mr Bashir Ahmad. Mr Buhari was a Nigerian head of state between 1983 and 1985. He was also the president between 2015 and 2023. He died at 82.

“The family of the former president has announced the passing on of the former president, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, this afternoon in a clinic in London. May Allah accept him in Aljannatul Firdaus, Amin,” he posted, citing a statement signed by his late President’s media aide, Mr Garba Shehu. “May Allah accept him in Aljannatul Firdaus, Amin,” he added.

Born in 1957, Mr Monguno hails from Borno State. He served as National Security Adviser from 2015 to 2023. As NSA, Mr Monguno coordinated national security strategies, intelligence operations, and counter-terrorism policies. He played a central role in overseeing operations against Boko Haram and ISWAP insurgents in the North-East, strengthening Nigeria’s international security cooperation, developing Nigeria’s cybersecurity and intelligence frameworks, and coordinating inter-agency efforts on internal security, counter-terrorism, and anti-kidnapping strategies.