By DAVID IORJA, Abuja –
“Appointment or sack of Service Chiefs is a Presidential prerogative, and 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,” presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, declared Tuesday afternoon.
He made the declaration in a swift response to the resolution by the Senate earlier in the day, asking Nigeria’s military chiefs to ‘step aside’ to enable a new set with new ideas tackle insecurity across the country.
The Senate had adopted a resolution calling on the Service Chiefs to resign or be sacked due to the multi-pronged security challenges in the country.
It came after the lawmakers deliberated on a motion moved by Senator Ali Ndume (APC – Borno South) on the rising number of casualties among soldiers and other security agencies.
Senator Ndume in his presentation, appreciated the sacrifices that the soldiers make for the country but expressed worry about the rising casualties among the troops.
He therefore emphasised the need for better service conditions for them.
This call comes barely 48 hours after an ambush by suspected bandits in Katsina State on Saturday left at least 16 soldiers and officers dead and 28 others wounded.
Officers killed in the attack included a major, a captain and a lieutenant, Two bandits were also injured in the exchanges.
Adesina however said “the Presidency notes the resolution,” but reiterated that appointment or sack of Service Chiefs was “a Presidential prerogative, and 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.”
A report by PREMIUM TIMES said that 356 soldiers are formally exiting the Nigerian Army citing “loss of interest.”
It noted that the army was currently engaged in various combat operations as insecurity worsens across the country, with thousands of soldiers engaged in the decade-long war against Boko Haram in the Northeast, and others in various other formations across the country battling different forms of insecurity. (with additional report by PREMIUM TIMES).