President Muhammadu Buhari has relieved the appointments of all service chiefs and announced new officers to take charge of Nigeria’s military operations. This information was made available via a press release signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina.
In the release Adesina said :
“President Muhammadu Buhari has accepted the immediate resignation of the Service Chiefs, and their retirement from service.
Those involved are the Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonisakin; Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ekwe Ibas; and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar.
President Buhari thanks the outgoing Service Chiefs for what he calls their “overwhelming achievements in our efforts at bringing enduring peace to our dear country,” wishing them well in their future endeavours.
The new Service Chiefs are: Major-General Leo Irabor, Chief of Defence Staff; Major-General I. Attahiru, Chief of Army Staff; Rear Admiral A.Z Gambo, Chief of Naval Staff; and Air-Vice Marshal I.O Amao, Chief of Air Staff.
The President congratulates the new Service Chiefs, and urges them to be loyal and dedicated in the discharge of their responsibilities”
It would be recalled that strident calls have been made for the replacement of the Service Chiefs for close to three years as the security situation in the country kept unraveling from bad to worse. While the House of Representatives made a formal resolution calling for their replacement, the Senate made a statement supporting that line of action. Also, a lot of Nigerians, high and low as well as social groups have been adding their voices to these calls. It is therefore hoped that this change of guard will usher in the desired results that Nigerians have been looking forward to.
