‘They’re Due For Sack’: Nigerians Query Why Buhari Retains Service Chiefs Despite Displeasure
Following President Muhammadu Buhari’s open disapproval of the service chiefs’ record in fighting insecurity, Nigerians on Twitter are asking why he remains hesitant to terminate their appointment.
The National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Monguno, who addressed journalists at the statehouse following a security briefing attended by service chiefs, heads of security agencies, and intelligence heads, said President Buhari expressed “great concern” over the worsening state of security in the country.
“He is extremely unhappy about what is happening and he feels that, even though the security agencies are doing their best, their best is not good enough for him and wants an immediate reversal of the current trend and immediate reversal of our misfortunes in all their dimensions,” he said on Thursday.
He added that the president warned the various security agencies that he will not tolerate “any further escalation of the security situation”.
“He also stated, that no one was forced on him, he selected everyone individually based on what he feels their records had revealed and therefore, it is up to individual organisations to live up to the expectations,” Monguno said.
“Again, Mr President has also said that it is extremely important that we in the security agencies, must ensure that we justify the leadership by not disappointing the populace.”
Thousands of Nigerians have bared their minds on the retention of service chiefs since the news broke. Taking to Twitter, a microblogging platform, many of them questioned the logic of not sacking the chiefs despite the president’s dissatisfaction with their performance.
“If their ‘best is not good enough’, they should get the boot. But I guess the man hasn’t got a leg, much less a boot,” tweeted Bulama Bukarti (@bulamabukarti), an analyst at the Tony Blair Institute and human rights lawyer.
Deji Adeyanju (@adeyanjudeji), human rights activist and convener of Concerned Nigerians, wrote, “Buhari is too incompetent. He needs to apologize to GEJ for asking him to resign over insecurity issues. He can’t even sack clueless service chiefs. What can Buhari really do?”
Ghost Alamin (@alamin_ghost) said it is high time President Buhari sacked the current crop of services chiefs and appointed new ones. “He should drop personal relations aside and make decisions like a president,” he added.
“If he feels the service chiefs are incompetent, why elongate their tenure unnecessarily?” Alfred Olufemi (@iam_alfred1) asked.
“Gabriel Olonisakin, Chief of Defence Staff, Tukur Buratai, Chief of Army Staff, Sadique Abubakar, Chief of Air Staff are due for retirement having spent more than 35 years in service.”
The incumbent chiefs are the longest-serving since Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999. They were appointed by President Buhari in July 2015.
Here are other tweets on the issue:
#NorthernLivesMatter "We will keep saying the truth, let them come and kill us and the whole world will know that they killed us because we are saying the truth".
"Our president can't do it, why can't whoever is there resign".
Service Chiefs must Resign!pic.twitter.com/AGZAZ0tI9T
— Ayemojubar (@ayemojubar) June 18, 2020
Stop making excuses for Buhari.
Service Chiefs ain’t the problem.
Saraki wasn’t the problem, because things are worse now.
Abba Kyari was not the problem either.
Buhari just sacked 40 of his Villa security aides. What does this tell you??
“BUHARI IS THE PROBLEM OF NIGRIA!!!”
— NEFERTITI (@firstladyship) June 18, 2020
This is how to spot a selfish man and tyrant, just one bullet fired close to his residence, @MBuhari has fired over 40 security agents at his villa, however, 500 people killed in Bormo, Katsina, Zamfara, Niger & Kaduna, this man has refused to sack service chiefs! #RevolutionNow pic.twitter.com/qdITxVXsTU
— Omoyele Sowore (@YeleSowore) June 18, 2020
https://twitter.com/OlugborPETER/status/1273628886832746505
Mr. President if our Service chiefs best is not good enough for Nigeria, please let them go.
I'm sure we have many that can step in and end the issue of banditry, Terrorism and Insecurity in Nigeria. #NorthernLivesMatter https://t.co/qvVZ0RWpHh— Malam Salihu Bamle (@SalihuAmumini) June 18, 2020
1/+
More than 10,000 Nigerians were brutally murdered by the murderous armed bandits in Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto, Niger & Kaduna States and hundreds of thousands of people displaced but #TyrantBuhari has refused to sack the extremely corrupt and ineffective service chiefs. pic.twitter.com/NynkTqeB8b— Jawad Adamu Tsoho (@AdamuJawad) June 18, 2020
These observation is coming too late. The President should do the needful by sacking service chiefs immediately. https://t.co/n975pCmuXO
— Umar Mande Shinkafi (@ShinkafiMande) June 18, 2020
https://twitter.com/FestusGreen/status/1273631846052409344
What is Buhari still waiting for in relieving the service Chiefs of their appointments?, Is his shock valves and waves not yet inelastic ? https://t.co/Z6yxeZeGrI
— Austin Nwabufo (@AustinNwabufo) June 18, 2020
The service chiefs have been comfortable for far too long.
— Muhammad (@s_idiagbon) June 18, 2020
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