Ndume: Why Buhari can’t appoint new service chiefs

Ali Ndume, chairman, senate committee on army, says President Muhammadu Buhari cannot afford to change or appoint new service chiefs for now.

Speaking with reporters, Ndume said Buhari could not afford to change the military leadership because Nigeria is in a complete state of war.

Ndume said the president could not but retain the service chiefs because there is war, not only in the north-east but all over the country.

He said: “We are in war. Definitely, we are in war. We are fighting the insurgents in the North-east and in the North-west.

“The military is so much involved and are being deployed in so many zones of the federation. The security situation is such that that the military is involved almost in all parts of the country. So, we are in war.

“The military is so involved in so many security challenges. In fact, in almost the 36 states, in fact, this is a pointer that we are at war.

“Coincidentally, the president is a retired army general and he knows this war situation better than most Nigerians; and he knows when to change his army commanders and when not to do that. As a commander-in-chief, he understands this war situation better than we the civilians.

“I’m sure he is doing the right thing as the commander-in-chief and when he finds it necessary, he will effect changes.”

He said he did not think that changing the service chiefs would solve the insecurity in the country.

“I don’t think that changing the service chiefs will be the solution to the insecurity in the country. I don’t think that this war is not won because the service chiefs are still there and have not been changed,” he said.

Gabriel Olonisakin, chief of defence staff; Tukur Buratai, chief of army staff; Sadique Abubakar, chief of air staff; and Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, chief of naval staff are the service chiefs.