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Tag: Service Chiefs

  • Insecurity: Umahi rules out sabotage, advises Buhari to retain service chiefs

    Insecurity: Umahi rules out sabotage, advises Buhari to retain service chiefs

    Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi on Friday advised President Muhammadu Buhari to retain the current armed force service chiefs against the backdrop of calls from several quarters to replace them.

    Umahi gave the advice while laying the foundation stone of the Nigerian Army Reference Hospital, Abakaliki.

    The governor said that instead of replacing the service chiefs, the president should increase military funding and other logistics as well as enhance programmes that would make them work optimally.

    “The president should also increase his meetings with them and enhance mechanisms that will make the civil populace co-operate and provide them with relevant information.

    “It is difficult for people to do anything without information and at this stage of our security situation, whosoever that is coming to replace them will start ‘learning the ropes,” he said.

    Umahi said that Nigerians “like change a lot which makes everyone desire to taste every seat.”

    “This is not what we need at this crucial time of our security challenges as every decision taken by the present service chiefs are not taken by them alone, but with other senior officers.

    “No man wants to die, so there is no way the army can sabotage itself.

    “It was unfortunate that my colleague (Borno Governor) was ambushed, but I commend the army for the way it handled the matter professionally and with humility,” he said.

    Umahi pledged the state government’s co-operation to ensure the completion of the hospital and commended the army for its friendly disposition to the Ebonyi civilian populace.

  • BREAKING: Only Buhari has powers to hire, fire Service Chiefs, Presidency replies Senate

    BREAKING: Only Buhari has powers to hire, fire Service Chiefs, Presidency replies Senate

    Only President Muhammadu Buhari can sack Service Chiefs, the Presidency declared on Tuesday.

    It was reacting to resolution of the Senate earlier in the day, asking the Service Chiefs to resign or get sacked for rising insecurity in the nation, especially the recent killing of soldiers and mass resignation in the military.

    The resolutions of the Senate followed consideration of a motion titled: “Rising casualties among Nigerian soldiers and other security agencies” by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Army, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume (Borno South).

    But the Presidency, in a terse statement titled “Service Chiefs: Position of Presidency on resolution by the Senate” said Buhari reserves the right to appoint or sack Service Chiefs.

    The statement, on the verified twitter handle of the Presidency @NGRPresident, reads: “The Senate on Tuesday adopted a resolution calling on the Service Chiefs to resign or be sacked due to the multi-pronged security challenges in the country.

    “The Presidency notes the resolution, and reiterates that appointment or sack of Service Chiefs is a Presidential prerogative, & President Muhammadu Buhari, in his capacity as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, will do what is in the best interest of the country at all times.”

  • JUST IN: Senate asks all Service Chiefs to resign

    JUST IN: Senate asks all Service Chiefs to resign

    The Senate on Tuesday called for the resignation of all Service Chiefs over recent killing of soldiers and mass resignation from the military.

    The Senate also resolved that the top hierarchy of the military should brief its relevant committees on the factors militating against the operations of the military to find a way forward.

    The Senate also resolved to observe a minute silence to honour soldiers and members of other security agencies that have lost their lives during their fight against insurgency so far.

    The resolutions of the Senate followed the consideration of a motion titled: “Rising casualties among Nigerian soldiers and other security agencies” moved by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Army, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume (Borno South).

    Ndume had in his lead debate lamented that 24 soldiers were recently killed in an ambush by insurgents in Danboa.

    He said that 19 soldiers were wounded while nine others were reported missing during the attack by insurgents.

    He said that another 20 soldiers were killed during a similar ambush in Kachina while others were wounded.

    He said that while the Senate appreciates the sacrifices being made by members of the Armed Forces in the fight against insurgency, it is however concerned about the negative effects of the killings on the war against insurgency, especially the reported mass resignation of over 200 soldiers fighting in the frontlines.

  • Courage, Confidence and Commitment : What Buhari Saw in the Service Chiefs

    By Idoko Ainoko

    Someone said the other day that, “We can never go back to the old days prior to 2015, ” and I asked what he meant by that. It was when he explained to me that his position is based on the security situation in the country prior to 2015 that I got his drift.

    Prior to 2015, the security situation in the country was so bad that people move about without being sure of the next minute as planted bombs could explode at anywhere and at any time; suicide bombers could crash into any public space at the slightest chance, and terrorists could launch attacks and overrun any town or community they wish. To make matters worse, these heinous activities were not restricted to the precincts of the fringes of the Lake Chad region where the insurgents were concentrated but were almost everywhere and in almost all regions.

    Major towns like Potiskum in Yobe State; Bama, Monguno and Biu in Borno State; Mubi, Michika and Garkida in Adamawa as well as Kano, Kaduna and the FCT became hotspots of terrorists’ activities.

    But 2015 marked a watershed in the improvement of security in Nigeria.
    With the inauguration of the current administration and the appointment of the current service chiefs, things took a turn for the better as the bombs stopped, attacks on towns and communities were highly reduced and restricted to certain places while normalcy returned to all parts of the country. The magic that did this from the benefit of hindsight, is selecting round pegs in round holes in the security network of the country.

    All the service chiefs are top security personnel who have backgrounds of sterling performances and service to the fatherland unlike in the past when politics dominated such decisions.
    Experts in security say this would be about the first time that the three requirement of courage, confidence and commitment would be given due priority in the appointment of service chiefs.

    These three, according to time tested records on security, form the basis for appointments into the top echelon of the military the world over and that in situations where any of the two are found in a person, it is considered to be a huge advantage not to talk of having the three in a personnel.

    Any commander in chief whose service chiefs come with the three attributes, is considered as not only lucky but well equipped to take care of any eventuality. With the improvement in the security situation in Nigeria and successes recorded in the theatre of operations, one can say without fear of contradiction that it was these three qualities that the President saw in the current set of chiefs before appointing them.

    It goes without saying that it is because they have convinced him that he has made the right choice that he decided to retain as it would not be easy finding these attributes in one fell swoop. The first act of courage demonstrated by the service chiefs was moving to the theaters of operation any time action is needed on the battle field unlike in the past when top security officials sit in the comfort of their homes in Abuja and other state capitals giving orders to troops while making more demands for funds.

    The service chiefs repeated this recently when they moved to Katsina in the wake of fresh attacks in the Northwest. When the President extended the tenure of the security chiefs, it was gathered that the extension may not be unconnected to a job well done by the service chiefs for ensuring law and order and peace of the country.

    It was said that their input made it possible for Nigeria to have elections in all parts of the country but ensure it was crises free. Secretary to the government of the Federation SGF , Boss Mustapha had also expressed same sentiments when explaining why the President is more disposed towards retaining the service chiefs.

    He said while the President reserves the right to do as he wished, the security situation in the country requires thorough and meticulous handling. As the security chiefs move to the theatres of operation when the occasion demands, the chief of army staff, Lt. General TY Buratai has been outstanding.

    On assumption of duty, the army chief moved to the Northeast and engaged troops in physical drills and warm up exercises before moving with them to forests and other strongholds of the terrorists. He repeated the act in April this year when the insurgents were regrouping to launch attacks on Nigerian communities and since then, it has been one succes story after the other. This shows rare courage as there are layers of command the General would have relied on to get the job done but did not fear the risk to his life and was physically present at the battlefield.

    This is at a time troops were running away from the battlefield due to the perception that the insurgents were better equipped than them. But Buratai, knowing that bravery is more important than any sophisticated weapon, used himself to show example to the troops and since then, the story of the fight has not been the same again.

    This naturally comes with confidence as even if the courage was there, the troops would not have been motivated if they have not seen the kind of confidence displayed by the Chief of Army Staff.

    In the Art of War by Sun Tzu, it was made clear that the battle is won or lost at the level of confidence as even when one has the weapon and the confidence is not there, not much can be achieved. Another thing this shows is commitment to the cause of defending the nation and passion for the realisation of one of the cardinal objectives of this administration, to ensure adequate security for Nigeria and her citizens.

    Without the level of commitment that drives an official to apply his skill and talent to a cause, the story in the Northeast would not have been different. All these have helped to make the war against insurgency and terrorism the success it is in Nigeria today. Indeed Nigeria cannot go back to the pre-2015 era of violence and mayhem as it seems to be in safe hands.

    Ainoko is a public affairs expert and wrote this piece from Kaduna.

  • Insecurity: Community-based organizations urges support for Buhari, Service Chiefs in fight against insurgency

    Insecurity: Community-based organizations urges support for Buhari, Service Chiefs in fight against insurgency

    A group of community-based organizations, under the auspices of People’s Parliament, have vowed to maintain total support for President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration and the Service Chiefs in the fight against insurgency.

    The group made this known in a communique signed by George Gondo and Adamu Bagudu, its Chairman and Secretary respectively and addressed by Gabriel Agibi on Wednesday in Abuja.

    People’s Parliament, which also comprises of faith-based organizations, NGOs such as Grasshoot Peace Initiative and United Nigeria Forum, rising from an extraordinary emergency assembly held in Abuja and monitored on Skype and zoom, maintained that the President and his Service Chiefs have demonstrated capacity, willpower and the expertise to rid the country of terrorism, banditry and other crimes and would require the total support of all Nigerians to deliver absolute peace across the country.

    While the military has done its part to end insurgency, terrorism, banditry and other crimes, the group acknowledged that some government officials and stakeholders have not been forthcoming.

    People’s Parliament, however, called on state governors and stakeholders to play their own part, as all hands must be on deck to defeat the remnants of the Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists who are attempting to regroup to unleash further heinous atrocities on citizens.

    The group said it overwhelmingly passed a vote of confidence on President Buhari and his security architecture, advising the already decimated Islamic fighters to surrender now they have the chance.

  • BREAKING: Buhari issues Service Chiefs strong warning: your best not good enough

    BREAKING: Buhari issues Service Chiefs strong warning: your best not good enough

    President Muhammadu Buhari is unhappy with the current state of the security situation in the country.

    Disclosing this to State House Correspondents on Thursday, after a security briefing, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj. Gen. Babagana Monguno (Rtd.), said the President had charged managers of the nation’s security to redouble their efforts.

    According to Monguno, Buhari said, though the security chiefs had been doing their best, their best had not been good enough for the challenges facing the nation

    He has therefore declared that excuses will no longer be tolerated, even as he said he expects everyone to live up to expectations.

    He also expressed displeasure over the lack of synergy amongst security forces and charged the various aspects of the security architecture to work together to solve the nation’s security challenges.

    He said the President charged the office of the NSA to meet with governors of the Northwest states and that of Niger State, for briefing and strategic organisation of a response to the Banditry problem in their domains.

  • Buhari meets Security Chiefs at Aso Villa

    Buhari meets Security Chiefs at Aso Villa

    President Muhammadu Buhari is currently meeting with security and service chiefs behind closed doors at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    The service chiefs were led by the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Gabriel Olonisakin.

    Others attending the meeting included the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari and the Minister of Defence, retired Maj.-Gen. Bashir Magashi.

    Others were; Inspector-General of Police, Muhammed Adamu; the National Security Adviser (NSA) to the President, retired Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno and Director-General of the Department of State Services, Mr Yusuf Bichi.

    It was gathered that the president would be updated on security developments across the country during the meeting.

    Buhari had on June 16 approved a joint military and police operation specifically targeted at combing Niger, Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara and Sokoto States to rid the areas of bandits.

  • Lawan, Gbajabiamila to meet Buhari, security chiefs over renewed Boko Haram killings

    Lawan, Gbajabiamila to meet Buhari, security chiefs over renewed Boko Haram killings

    Senate President Ahmad Lawan and Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila have been mandated to urgently meet with President Muhammadu Buhari and heads of the nation’s armed forces over the renewed upsurge in Boko Haram attacks.

    The resolution of the Senate followed a point of order moved by Senator Abubakar Kyari (Borno North), on the recent killing of 90 people in his constituency.

    The Upper Chamber also urged the Federal Government to direct the Armed Forces to urgently secure areas around the Lake Chad.

    The Red Chamber also urged the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the North East Development Commission (NEDC) to send relief materials to victims of the attacks.

    It similarly urged the Federal Government to implement the Senate’s recommendations on the restructuring of the nation’s security architecture to enhance efficiency.

    Lawan promised to mobilise his colleagues in the House of Representatives to meet Buhari and the security chiefs.

    He insisted any of the security chiefs who fails to perform up to expectations, even with adequate provisions, should be sacked.

    Kyari ,who cited order 42 and 52 of the Senate standing rules, lamented the killing of 90 persons – which included women and children – on Tuesday by Boko Haram insurgents following an attack on Foduma Kolum village of Gubio Local Government, of Borno State.

    The Senator bemoaned the resurgence of what he described as “senseless killings” by the insurgents in recent weeks.

    According to him, 17 people were killed in Gajiagana, Magimeri local government on May 17 and 33 others killed in Nganzai Local Government on May 22.

    Kyari said: “These attacks are becoming very worrisome in view of the fact that the Nigerian Armed Forces recently started recording successes in the fight against insurgency.

    “These attacks which have led to the massacre of hundreds of people, also includes other Winona acts such as cattle rustling, kidnapping, abduction and forceful displacement of people from their ancestral communities.”

    According to him: “With the coming of the rains and farming season, the land is terribly insecure with marauding insurgents at bay. The consequences of food shortage can better be imagined.”

    Senator Ali Ndume (Borno South), decried the inability of the Armed Forces to completely rout insurgents in the North-East.

    Ndume urged Lawan and Gbajabiamila to meet with President Buhari to discuss the spate of insecurity in northern Nigeria.

    Lawan said: “Boko Haram has metamorphosed from a group of religious zealots into an industry.

    “It is an industry because what they do is not religious. They have people from different faiths and countries who are part of Boko Haram.

    “This Senate passed so many resolutions including the reports of the various Ad-Hoc Committees we set up on Security but the problem persists.

    “I don’t want to say meeting the President is something that we have to reveal if we do, but of course, it is natural that issues like this will be of interest for us to discuss with the President, and we have been doing that.

    “What is necessary is for us to persist. Our Armed Forces have their challenges, and therefore, we will continue to look at those challenges and try to address them.

    “However, where anybody is found wanting, our stand should be that people should occupy offices based on their performance.

    “There’s no point if somebody is not registering successes for such person to continue to be there, but that is if you give that person the necessary tools to fight.

    “So, we should give them the necessary tools and then we hold them accountable.

    “We will do that in addition to, of course, meeting Mr. President, it is not going to be the Senate President, I’ll make sure that I have my colleague in the House of Representatives because this is a national question”, Lawan said.

    Accordingly, the Senate in its resolutions urged the Federal Government to direct, as a matter of urgency, the Nigerian Armed Forces and relevant security agencies to beef up personnel and equipment deployment to critical areas especially in and around the Lake Chad shores in order to flush out the insurgents.

    The Upper chamber urged the Federal Government to direct the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the North East Development Commission (NEDC) to immediately send relief materials to the victims of these attacks.

    The Senate also urged the Federal Government to immediately begin the implementation of the recommendations of the “Report of the Senate Ad-Hoc Committee on Nigeria Security Challenges: Need to Restructure, Review, and are-Organize the Current Security Architecture” as way of addressing the nations current security challenges.

  • Much ado about nothing on Service Chiefs tenure

    Much ado about nothing on Service Chiefs tenure

    By Idoko Ainoko

     

     

    To say that Nigeria remains the best place on earth is no longer news. Despite all the conspiracies against her as a nation, Nigeria has continued to defeat her adversaries without going to war. So, many things naturally work out positively for the country even without the citizens ever knowing. Quote me right or wrong; Nigeria is God’s own country on earth. I will therefore attempt to reveal the secret in this piece.

    It is very easy to know the enemies of Nigeria. Though most times, they conceal their identities, but tacitly expose it through actions and words. Persistently, these enemies of Nigeria unleash vitriols on public servants who have demonstrated hard work and a favourable disposition to the new order as enunciated by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Therefore, these foes of Nigeria fabricate assorted tales, lies and falsehood to kick them out of office. They seek attention through the fake garments of patriotism and hide under fake public interest, but scheme behind the curtains to pull down Nigeria.

    There is inconsequential, but distractive noise from infinitesimal quarters about tenure elongation of the incumbent Service Chiefs by President Buhari. For some Nigerians, it has become a favorite past time. Those pushing the senseless campaigns have irrationally refused to recognize that it is the sacred prerogative of Mr. President to either extend the tenure or sack his Service Chiefs.

    This league of remonstrators easily forgets that nowhere in the whole world, a President is publicly stampeded into changing his Service Chiefs. Most times, Nigerians abuse the liberties offered by democracy. Because of a mindset fixated on evil, those objecting the Presidential decision fail to acknowledge their limitations and decode the lawful powers of Mr. President on matters of such magnitude.

    With such freeness of the mind and careless meddlesomeness, even those who can hardly run effective families come out to dictate to the President on such exclusive matters. But this is what happens in a country where some people do not know their limitations. Let them be informed that the service duration of his Service Chiefs is outside their purview of interrogation in whatever guise.

    The campaigners for the sack of our patriotic Service Chiefs are Nigeria’s greatest enemies and allies of external forces which have been plotting to destabilize and destroy the country. It defeats sound logic why some people should decide to mount such propaganda at such an auspicious time, when the country is facing very serious emergency security problems. It is diversionary and in bad taste.

    Every patriotic Nigerian knows it is wrong and unacceptable to distract the unrelenting Service Chiefs with such partisan and meaningless noise. Nigerians of good conscience are aware that this is the time to allow the Service Chiefs the grace and peace of mind to concentrate on delivering Nigeria from the clutches of insurgents, terrorists, armed bandits, militancy and other assemblage of armed criminals.

    However, the spoilers and destroyers of Nigeria are thinking differently. They are sounding as if President Buhari has done an unpardonable thing by extending the tenure of his Service Chiefs. Or Mr. President has committed an abomination by sticking to his hardworking and tested Service Chiefs. They posture as if this is the first time, that President Buhari has renewed the tenure of national appointees and therefore, it is “illegal” and should not stand.

    It is unfortunate that some Nigerians have cultivated the habit of depriving themselves of truth. The seed of truth and honesty has deserted most hearts in Nigeria. And it is the compelling force for the very unreasonable and malicious excuses in protesting the continuous stewardship of the Service Chiefs.

    These same people never protested when President Buhari extended the tenure of his other appointees before now. May be, those who benefitted from the presidential gesture appealed to their ethnic, religious, partisan, regional or sectional proclivities. Or, such renewed appointments pandered to the personal interests of the community of opposers against the Service Chiefs. This is precisely where the lacuna deepens and runs contrary to logic.

    What did the campaigners against Service Chiefs say when President Buhari extended the service of the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Dr. Godwin Emefiele? The President inherited the boss of the apex bank from his predecessor, but renewed his tenure when it expired last year. But the professional opposers and emergency activists lost their voice. They rather hailed Mr. President.

    In 2018, the President also approved the extension of the tenure of seven retiring Permanent Secretaries in the Federal Civil Service for one calendar year. But nobody raised eyebrows. And according to Mr. President, it was to ensure stability in the Federal Civil Service and sustained effective delivery on the nine priority areas of the administration.

    The President has reappointed many of his ministers, but no discordant voices were heard. The likes of Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu; Chief Rotimi Amaechi; Barr. Babatunde Fashola ; Dr. Chris Ngige; Alhaji Adamu Adamu; Alhaji Lai Mohammed; Dr. Osagie Ehanire; Alhaji Sirika Hadi; Hajiya Zainab Ahmed and Barr. Abubakar Malami among hordes of others are beneficiaries. Why did the Senate fail to reject them at the point of screening?

    No one kicked against it. And in all instances of service extension or reappointment, the President is motivated by the service records of excellence by the beneficiaries. It is Mr. President’s style of appreciating the dictum, “service begets service.” It implies that their performance has impressed Mr. President and aligns with the effective service delivery on the priority areas of the administration.

    And the leading propagandists against the tenure extension of Service Chiefs have forgotten so soon that in 2018, President Buhari also extended the tenures of numerous other federal appointees. These included; Dr. Jafaru Alunua Momoh, the Chief Medical Director, National Hospital Abuja; Prof. Eli Jidere Bala, the Director-General, Energy Commission of Nigeria; Dr. Boboye Olayemi, Chief Corps Marshall, Federal Road Safety Commission; Dr. Nwadinigwe Cajetan Uwatoronye, Chief Medical Director, National Orthopedic Hospital, Enugu state and Dr. Mohammed Jibrin, Director-General, National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI).

    There are many others who have benefited from this presidential favour under the Buhari Presidency. Many Presidential aides have also enjoyed service extension. And the common denominator or defining yardstick is that they have performed exceedingly impressive. But when a people embrace mendacity, everything is personalized, even when it runs against the spirit of public interest.

    So, what’s the heck about the issue of Service Chiefs? What is good for the goose should certainly be good for the gender and justifiably too, particularly that the Service Chiefs have performed creditably. And many Nigerians are convinced and can attest to it; except those whose hearts are steeped in biases. Let’s not cry foul when there is none or raise any alarm where there is no cause for it. The Service Chiefs have done well and need to be supported and encouraged to go the proverbial extra-mile.

    Ainoko is a public affairs analyst based in Kaduna.

  • Insecurity: NAPS calls off protest, rallies support for PMB, Service Chiefs on war against terrorism

    Insecurity: NAPS calls off protest, rallies support for PMB, Service Chiefs on war against terrorism

    The National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS) has distanced itself from a planned protest by some students against the nation’s Service Chiefs and has instead thrown its weight behind the military’s top hierarchy.

    Speaking on behalf of the group at a press conference on Thursday, National President, Activist Sunday A Asuku, said NAPS came to this conclusion after a series of meeting with security experts both within and outside Nigeria.

    According to Comrade Asuku, the students resolved that sack of the Service Chiefs is not the practical solution to insecurity but intergovernmental and multidimensional support.

    NAPS emphasized that it is only interested in a safe and secured Nigeria and were misinterpreted in its quest to seek an end to insecurity situation.

    The polytechnic students assured that it will never be party to any move capable of undermining the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari but rather support the government to actualize her set agenda.

    It, however, urged the National Assembly, tradition rulers, community leaders, institutions, ministries, stakeholders, departments and agencies to commence inter agency synergy building in all aspects.

    NAPS extended the call to all Nigerians to support the “government and the security chiefs in their continued and concerted effort towards protecting our territorial Integrity and aide civil obedience.”