Security
“Sack Service Chiefs Now”, Senate Tells Buhari
..”President Buhari Will Only Do Want Is Right For The Country” – Presidency
Worried by the unabated killings and general insecurity across the country, Senate has once again called on President Muhammadu Buhari to as a matter of urgency, sack all the Service Chiefs to enable the Upper Chamber to go into the remote and immediate causes of the incessant killings of Soldiers who are supposed to be protecting the lives and property of the people.
The Senate has said that it has become necessary for the Service Chiefs to be replaced especially against the backdrop of recent reports that over 200 Soldiers have deserted the service.
The four service chiefs are Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin; Chief of Army Staff, General Tukur Buratai, Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar and Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Marshal Ibok- Ete Ibas.
The Senate resolution followed a motion by former Senate Leader, and Chairman, Senate Committee on Army, Senator Ali Ndume, APC, Borno South who came under Order 42(1) of the Senate Standing Orders as Amended.
Senator Ndume had lamented the high level of casualties among the rank and file of the Military and other Security Agencies, citing a recent case where over 21 Soldiers were ambushed in Damboa in Borno State and also in Katsina.
“The Senate is disturbed that in Katsina again about 20 soldiers were also ambushed and killed while several others were wounded.
“The Senate appreciates the sacrifices of our armed forces in the fight against insurgency, banditry and protection of the territorial integrity of Nigeria.
“The Senate is concerned that if the trend continues, it will have serious implication on the fight against insurgency and banditry in the country,” Ndume added.
The Senate Leader, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi (APC – Kebbi North), in his contribution, called on Security Agencies to change their tact and strategy of deployment in the fight against insecurity in the country.
Accordingly, the Upper Chamber after holding a minute silence for the fallen soldiers, mandated the joint Committees on Army; Airforce; Navy; National Security and Nigeria Police to receive briefing on the state of affairs of the services in this regard.
President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan, in his concluding remarks while condoling the families of slain soldiers, charged the Senate Joint Committees to investigate alleged desertion of the army by soldiers at the war front.
He said, “the spirit of this motion is that our armed forces are trying very hard, but just like the President said, their good is not good enough.
“We need to continue to encourage and provide for them. They lay their lives on behalf of us, and of course, it is very sad that some of them are alleged to have deserted the war front.
“We need to get to the bottom of this. Our joint committee should be able to find out the facts about this allegation of over 200 deserting the war front.”
The upper legislative house therefore resolved to call on the Commander in Chief to, as a matter of urgency, replace the service chiefs in order to instill some confidence in the military personnel.
..Presidency Reacts
Meanwhile Following Tuesday’s resolution by the Senate calling for the resignation of service chiefs, the Presidency has said that President Muhammadu Buhari will only do what is best for the country.
A statement issued by Special Adviser to the President (Media and Publicity), Femi Adesina, moments after the lawmakers’ resolution, said the Presidency had noted it but added that Buhari will only do what is in the best interest of the country.
The statement read: “The Senate 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, 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.” the statement concluded.
The development was made known at a workshop focused on gender mainstreaming in efforts to curb the spread of small arms and light weapons in Nigeria and the West African sub-region, held on Tuesday in Abuja.
The workshop was organized by the NCCSALW. Ribadu, represented by the Director of External Affairs from the Office of the National Security Adviser, Amb. Ibrahim Babani, described the president’s assent as a crucial step in the government’s fight against the illegal proliferation of arms.
He noted that this legislative backing would solidify the centre’s authority and facilitate more coordinated efforts to tackle the issue.
Ribadu also emphasized the importance of gender mainstreaming in addressing the arms control problem, citing key international frameworks such as the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325.
This resolution underscored the need to protect women from the impacts of conflict and ensure their active participation in peacebuilding and security initiatives.
AIG (rtd) Nuhu Ribadu
National Security Adviser
He also referenced the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons, which highlights regional cooperation in stopping the spread of weapons that disproportionately affect women and children in conflict zones.
“The importance of gender mainstreaming in preventing the proliferation of small arms and light weapons cannot be overstated,” Ribadu said. “It strengthens our strategies and ensures our approach to security is inclusive and sustainable.”
Speaking at the workshop, the National Coordinator of NCCSALW, retired Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Johnson Kokumo, detailed the centre’s recent efforts in combating illegal arms proliferation.
Kokumo mentioned that the centre recently retrieved a substantial cache of illegal arms from the Nigeria Customs Service and arrested 10 suspects involved in illicit importation. These suspects are currently being prosecuted for offenses that include the illegal importation of 544 firearms and 112,500 rounds of ammunition, in violation of Nigerian law.
Kokumo further revealed that the centre has retrieved 3,383 decommissioned and illicit small arms, along with 26,749 rounds of ammunition, from various government agencies. He also announced plans for an Arms Destruction Exercise later this quarter to ensure that recovered arms are permanently removed from circulation.
Highlighting the global implications of small arms proliferation, Kokumo said, “The control of small arms and light weapons is not only a national concern but also a matter of international importance.” He added that addressing this issue through a gender-sensitive approach is both a moral imperative and a strategic move, considering the grave impact of armed conflict on women and children.
“This workshop is a significant step in ensuring that gender perspectives are integrated into national and regional strategies for small arms and light weapons control,” he stated.
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