🎙️ Security, Local Government Autonomy, and Presidential Scandals: Edward Onoja Speaks on SYMFONI Podcast
In an in-depth interview on SYMFONI's Niger Unfeed podcast, Edward Onoja—former Deputy Governor of Kogi State and North-Central representative on the board of the South East Development Commission (SEDC)—addressed pressing issues shaping the state of the nation. Onoja defended the federal government's behind-the-scenes security operations following the release of kidnapped school children in Kogi State, called for the immediate operationalization of Local Government Autonomy to curb rural insecurity, and weighed in on the high-profile fraud scandal involving allegations against Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila and a fake federal agency.
Deep-Dive Analysis
1. Behind-the-Scenes Security and Strategic Triaging
The Dynamics of Captive Rescues
Addressing the safe return of kidnapped school children and teachers in Kogi State after 56 days in captivity, Onoja emphasized that effective security management relies on silent, non-kinetic intelligence gathering rather than public media updates.
- Multi-Agency Intelligence: Operations require weeks or months of tracking financial trails, community profiling, and infiltrating enemy camps.
- Operational Discretion: Public demands for daily security updates risk compromising field operations and endangering captives' lives.
"Security is not entertainment... Loads of work go on behind the scene—from intelligence gathering to tech tracking, to community information gathering, to profiling of the group... In security parlance, you get your job done behind the scene, and delivering the goods is getting the people out of captivity safe and sound." — Edward Onoja
National Security Architecture: Three-Pillar Framework
| Security Pillar | Components & Interventions |
|---|---|
| Prioritized Sectors |
|
| Border & Forest Security |
|
| Grassroots Autonomy |
|
Prioritizing Core Professions
Onoja recommended that the federal government prioritize three foundational sectors to stabilize the country:
(A) Security Agencies: Paramilitary, military, police, and intelligence services.
(B) Education Workers: Teachers across primary, secondary, and tertiary levels.
(C) Healthcare Practitioners: Medical workers keeping the population alive.
2. Local Government Autonomy as the Key to Insecurity
The Link Between Moribund LGAs and Rising Crime
Onoja argued that Nigeria’s insecurity escalated as the local government system was choked and rendered ineffective by subnational authorities starting in the Fourth Republic.
- Grassroots Economic Inflow: With local governments receiving roughly ₦500 million monthly, allocating 30% of those funds directly into local economies would engage vulnerable youth and deter recruitment into criminal gangs or banditry.
- Chief Security Officers: Local government chairmen serve as the primary line of defense. Without direct financial and operational tools, brewing security threats quickly escalate into national crises.
Appeal to State Governors
Commending President Bola Tinubu for taking the local government autonomy issue to the Supreme Court via the Attorney-General of the Federation, Onoja urged state governors—especially within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)—to fully implement the judgment.
"If the local government begin to function as they should, as Mr. President wants it to be, Nigeria will begin to have a reversal in the insecurity situation and our security situation will improve astronomically... 70% of our problem is resolved once you solve that problem." — Edward Onoja
3. "The Scammer Has Been Scammed": Addressing the Presidential Villa Fraud Scandal
Administrative Realities of Appointment Letters
Discussing allegations that a fake agency director-general paid bribes for a presidential appointment, Onoja—drawing from his tenure as a former Chief of Staff—pointed out fundamental procedural red flags in the claims.
- Procedural Mandate: A Chief of Staff does not possess the legal mandate to sign appointment letters; that duty belongs exclusively to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).
- Banking Disclaimers: The Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation confirmed that no Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) accounts were ever opened for the alleged fraudulent entity.
"No Chief of Staff can ever sign an appointment letter to anybody. It's the function of the Secretary to Government of the Federation... So that statement that the Chief of Staff gave an appointment letter, you need to put a question mark there. It means that the alleged scammer might have also been scammed... The scammer has been scammed." — Edward Onoja
Onoja noted that with Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila filing defamation lawsuits, the police holding the suspect in custody, and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) investigating under presidential directive, the public will soon have full disclosure.
Published by Qubes Magazine
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