Gov. Ododo, Others Laud Tinubu’s Appointment Of New Service Chiefs

LAGOS / ABUJA –The Kogi State government has expressed profound grati­tude to President Bola Tinubu for appointing Kogi State born, Major General Waidi Shaibu, as the new Chief of Army Staff.

In a press statement issued in Lokoja by the State Commis­sioner for Information and Com­munications, Kingsley Femi Fanwo, the State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, described the appointment as a clear demonstration of the Pres­ident’s commitment to fairness, equity, and recognition of merit in national service.

Ododo noted that the eleva­tion of Major General Shaibu is a source of pride and inspira­tion to the people of Kogi State, stressing that the appointee’s record of professionalism, dis­cipline, and dedication to duty stands him out as a fine officer and true patriot.

While congratulating Major General Shaibu on his well-de­served appointment, Governor Ododo assured Mr. President of the unflinching support and loyalty of the Government and people of Kogi State to his ad­ministration.

Recall that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Friday, shocked the nation with the unexpected sacking of service chiefs in a strategic move to rejig the security architecture of the country amid growing concerns over renewed killings by bandits and terrorists elements.

According to a State House Press Release signed by the Special Adviser to the Presi­dent on Media and Public Com­munication, Sunday Dare, the President appointed Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, the immediate past Chief of Army Staff (COAS) to replace General Christopher Musa as Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).

President Tinubu also ap­pointed Major-General W. Shai­bu as Chief of Army Staff, Air Vice Marshal S.K. Aneke as Chief of Air Staff, and Rear Admiral I. Abbas as Chief of Naval Staff.

Major-General E.A.P. Undi­endeye retained his position as Chief of Defence Intelligence.

In response to the new ap­pointments, Prof. Patrick Ukase of the Department of Histo­ry and International Studies, Prince Abubakar Audu Uni­versity, Anyigba, noted that the essence of the sacking may be to “rejig the security arrange­ment”.

This is as an Abuja based Political Analyst, Akaazua Em­manuel described the sack as a “ritualistic exercise.”

Prof. Ukase said, “It is within the prerogative of the President and commander in Chief of the Armed Forces to change his ser­vice Chiefs anytime he deems fit, as this is in line with the 1999 Constitution as amended.

“The essence may be due to the mandatory retirement age or to rejig the security arrange­ment. Overall, I think the ser­vice Chiefs have done well. The security challenges appear to be dwindled especially in areas that were hitherto no go areas in the country.

“I hope the newly appointed service chiefs will sustain the momentum and ensure that the remaining criminals and ban­dits terrorists causing havoc are permanently dealt with.”

In his opinion, Akaazua stat­ed that since the outbreak of full scale terrorism and banditry in Nigeria, the government has not done anything differently to curb the existential threat this poses to our fragile unity.”

According to him, “The news of removing service chiefs to­day did not come as a surprise to many of us, because it was long anticipated by political observers, particularly, with the recent rumours of coup d’etat, which according to un­confirmed report, was aimed at toppling the democratically elected government to usher in a military rulership.

“As a citizen and someone with vast understanding in se­curity matters, particularly on terrorism, I would like to appre­ciate the outgoing service chiefs, especially Gen. Christopher Musa, who served as the chief of Defence Staff for his cour­age in reducing the scourge of terrorism, especially in Kaduna State and some key areas where terrorists reigned supreme.

“At this point I want to cat­egorically state that terrorism in Nigeria is an ideology which is imbedded in economics, pol­itics, religion and ethnicity. In the area of politics, the north is indirectly using terrorism as a weapon to bargain for power.”

Speaking further, he said: “The removal of service chiefs, to some of us, is window dress­ing, especially when some mem­bers of the President’s cabinet who has been accused of being sponsors and beneficiaries of insecurity are still serving.

“Apart from ministers, so many high profile persons have been fingered by security reports as being perpetrators of insecurity are still moving Scot free, because there is a high level of reluctance to prosecute them.

“This has made it impossible for the military to defeat terror­ists because they have the back­ing of the high and mighty both in government and outside of government.”

Similarly, Prof. Uji Wilfred, in a statement on Saturday made available to SUNDAY INDE­PENDENT, noted that in Nige­ria, it has become a re-occurring decimal for each democratic ad­ministration to appoint military service chiefs along primordial lines.

He also emphasised that changing of service chiefs was not far reaching enough in solv­ing the national security chal­lenges of Nigeria.

According to Prof. Uji, “This is often in line with the idea that Nigeria is a tripartite system in which political power and na­tional resources rotates within the regional framework of the Northern, Western and Eastern Regions respectively.

“It is therefore not strange that each democratic adminis­tration in Nigeria, depending on the regional structure and affili­ation, appoints military service chiefs who can best promote and defend their regional or tripar­tite arrangement.”