North-East elders back call for sacking of Service Chiefs

Some North-East Elders known as Coalition of North East Elders for Peace and Development (CNEEPD) have expressed support for the call for removal of Service Chiefs because of rising insecurity, especially Boko Haram attacks in their region.

The elders insisted until the leadership of the Nigerian Armed Forces was changed, nothing meaningful can be achieved anymore in the ongoing war against terrorism.

They appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to respect the position of majority of Nigerians who it noted, were of the firm belief it was time for a change in the security architecture.

The elders, in a statement by chairman, Zana Goni and Secretary, Dr Mohammed Misua, supported Borno Governor’s advice for assistance of Chadian soldiers in the war against terrorism if that would bring solution to the problem.

The elders said although they trusted Nigerian soldiers in their ability to prosecute the war against terror but that it lacked the needed leadership to achieve it.

They accused those opposing the assistance of the Chadian soldiers as sponsors of terrorism, asking the President to ignore them.

According to them: “All of us speaking against the service chiefs do not have personal hatred for them, as a matter of fact two of them are our sons from the North East. But we must put the country first before any other personal interest and consideration.

“The current service chiefs have become obsolete and need to urgently go before we lose our place in the committee of nations.

“It is so shameful for a country of our about 200 million people to be calling on the Republic of Chad with just 16 million people with less than 10 percent of the budget of our defence to help us fight insecurity.

“This is very sad, disturbing and shameful but it is the sad reality of where we are and as elders, we cannot continue to shy away from it.

“Governor Zulum’s call for assistance of Chadian soldiers is out of frustration as a chief executive of people going through so much agony without remedy despite daily assurances from our military high command.

“Our people are dying in hundreds on a daily basis yet Mr President has refused to act. We are aware that sacking the chiefs may not be the only solution to end insurgency and insecurity but it will immediately restore confidence of the populace on our security architecture and allow free flow of intelligence that may end the war.

“Also, new ideals will come up immediately and even the criminals may go into hiding naturally because they are not familiar with the tactics of the new service chiefs when appointed. In addition, the morale of the fighting officers will be restored immediately.

“Mr President is doing very well but insecurity is fast threatening his government and the nation and it’s time to act.

“These service chiefs are not irreplaceable and do not have monopoly of ideals sir. We are therefore calling on the president to immediately listen to Nigerians by replacing the current service chiefs for better efficiency.”