A bitter feud between Nigeria's top military commanders during President Muhammadu Buhari's tenure deliberately starved frontline troops of air support, Daniel Bwala has claimed. The presidential adviser to President Bola Tinubu made the startling revelation on The Link Up Podcast, describing how animosity between army and air force leadership crippled combat operations against terrorists.
Bwala recalled the frustration soldiers faced when requesting aerial cover. "I remember during Buhari there was this disagreement… so that whenever an operation was undertaken, when they asked for air cover, there wouldn't be support," he said.
The situation has changed dramatically under Tinubu's administration, Bwala insisted. He credited improved inter-agency cooperation for boosting military efficiency in the ongoing security fight.
"In this administration, it is not so. There is coordination or cooperation," Bwala told the podcast.
Bwala addressed another concern: infiltration of security agencies by terrorist elements. He rejected outright claims that the military deliberately protects insurgents, calling such theories "conjecture."
However, he acknowledged that isolated cases of espionage and individual compromise remain unavoidable. Bwala drew a parallel to the Edward Snowden case, where the former U.S.
National Security Agency contractor exposed classified American intelligence programmes.
Nigeria's government is deploying classified counter-measures to identify and remove compromised personnel, Bwala hinted. He stressed that rooting out bad actors remains an ongoing challenge.
The presidential aide highlighted Nigeria's security crisis as having international dimensions. Russian flags appeared during recent protests in northern Nigeria, he noted, raising alarm about external interference.
Bwala also referenced a controversial U.S. congressional hearing where Congressman Scott Perry questioned the CIA over unverified claims it funded Boko Haram and ISIS. "An event like that has occurred, and as a country, we cannot hear that and say you are a liar," Bwala stated.
He clarified he wasn't endorsing the allegations but rather acknowledging the international discourse surrounding Nigeria's terror crisis. Such scrutiny demands Nigeria take the concerns seriously, he suggested.
Shifting focus to the economy, Bwala mounted a vigorous defence of Tinubu's performance. He highlighted stronger foreign reserves and improved government revenue as key achievements.
The president has done "more than enough to earn the trust of Nigerians," Bwala asserted. Ultimately, he said, voters will determine Tinubu's political fate at the ballot box.
