Buhari decorates Service Chiefs with New ranks, urges them to restore peace

  President Muhammadu Buhari has directed Service Chiefs to deploy competent officers and men to restore peace and order in troubled areas across the country.The president gave the ultimatum when he decorated the recently appointed service chiefs with their new ranks at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Friday.

He said the deadline had become imperative in view of the fact that this year’s rainy season was fast approaching.

”I urge you to identify your competent officers and men, irrespective of their seniority or paper qualifications and deploy them to make sure we secure the country.

”You get few weeks to do that because by the rainy season we expect farmers would develop enough confidence to go back to their farmlands to produce enough food for the nation,” he said.

He urged the service chiefs not to betray the confidence reposed in them by Nigerians.

The Chief of Defence Staff, Maj.-Gen. Lucky Irabor, who was decorated with a new rank of General, spoke on behalf of the service chiefs, pledging their loyalty to the president and the nation’s Constitution.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Irabor was decorated with rank of General while Chief of Army Staff, Maj-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru was decorated with new rank of Lieutenant General.

Others decorated with new ranks were the Chief of Navy Staff, Rear Admiral Awwal Gambo, who is now Vice-Marshal and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice-Marshal Isiaka Amao becomes Air Marshal.