Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, on Tuesday, attributed the rising spate of insecurity in the country to the retention, for far too long, of incompetent Service Chiefs by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Frank who was reacting to the reluctant sack of the Service Chiefs and appointment of new ones in a statement in Abuja, lamented that Buhari wasted a whooping one term and a quarter of his administration (about six years) without achieving any decisive victory against Boko Haram, murderous herdsmen, bandits and kidnappers.
“It became apparent early in the life of this regime that the set of Security Chiefs now sacked by Buhari had no zeal to fight.
“They lost battle after battle as the men in their various theatres became lame duck easily attacked by the insurgents as a result of insufficient armaments as a result of the corrupt officers at the helms of affairs up till on Tuesday.
“While the former Service Chiefs – 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 – prevaricated and politicised their offices, insurgency, banditry and kidnapping spread like wild fire from the North East to the North West, North Central, South West, South South and South East zones of the country.
“Lamentably, the persistent and strident calls for their replacement and appointment of fresh officers capable of breathing life into the war against insecurity – which is a cardinal agenda of this regime – fell on Buhari’s deaf ears.
“At last, he woke up and did the needful after about six wasted years. This came too late and it is left to be seen how the next two and half years of this regime will fare security-wise,” Frank said.
He called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate and prosecute the ex-Service Chiefs.
He urged them to ensure that huge chunk of Defence budgets fraudulently appropriated by the ex-Service Chiefs to the detriment of the nation’s security are recovered and returned to the treasury.
He also called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to fast track their investigation on the #LekkiMassacre during the #EndSARS protests and ensure that the immediate past Service Chiefs who gave orders for the killing of scores of innocent youths are held to account.
He expressed hope that the new Service Chiefs which include 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, would be able to turn the tide on insecurity in the country in no distant time.
He called on the new Service Chiefs to shun politics but rather should use their positions to work selflessly for the peace and security of the country.
“Nigerians are hopeful that your appointment will result in the speedy reversal of insurgency and arrest of criminal elements that have laid siege on this country.
“We hope that Nigerians would be able to sleep with their two eyes closed by reason of your appointments,” he added.
