Service chiefs: Better late than never

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the retirement of his service chiefs and appointed new ones. Although, their retirement was long over due, Mr President’s action has elicited applause from Nigerians and security experts who blame the rise of insecurity to the inability of the erstwhile service chiefs to change their tactics against the dreaded Boko Haram and armed bandits who continue to terrorise the country.

The outgone service chiefs deserve a pat on their backs.They have done their best to see the country fully secured and protected. But it seemed they were overwhelmed by the numerous security challenges.

The sudden resurgence of the decimated Boko Haram members and bandits who overran many villages in Borno, Katsina, Zamfara and Kaduna states points to their weakness. Though, the Nigeria police authority and other paramilitary agencies such as Nigeria Civil Defence Corps are primarily and constitutional empowered to provide internal security, the gravity of insecurity in the country is beyond their capability hence the deployment of the military to complement their roles.


However, the former service chiefs, as i said earlier, have done their best and should be commended. With the new service chiefs on board, what should Nigerians expect from them? The new service chiefs have come at a time when the country is facing serious security challenges.

There is menace of armed bandits, remnants of Boko Haram who have regrouped and the emergency of ethnic militias. The new service chiefs are not new in the war field. They have carved a niche for themselves and recorded success in their previous assignments. One prays they will replicate it and put more efforts to arrest the rising insecurity threatening the peace, unity and survival of the country.


Ibrahim Mustapha,
Pambegua, Kaduna state
08169056963.

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