Former Senate Leader and lawmaker representing Borno South, Senator Ali Ndume has called on President Bola Tinubu to ignore calls for the removal of the current Service Chiefs, stressing that such demands were driven by ulterior motives and not in the best interest of national security.
The former Chairman of the Senate Committee on Army made the call in a statement issued to journalists on Thursday in Abuja.
His advice followed agitation by the Northern Ethnic National Forum, which recently called for the sack of the Service Chiefs.
The Convener of the Forum, Dominic Alancha, had in the week earlier alleged that the current Service Chiefs lacked professional capacity to lead the fight against insurgency and banditry.
Insisting that the nation’s entire security architecture requires a fundamental overhaul, the Forum accused the Service Chiefs of failing to deliver despite receiving substantial security funding.
“We angrily and unequivocally demand the immediate dismissal and replacement of all Service Chiefs. The President must appoint fresh and innovative military leaders with a clear mandate and timeline for results,” the Forum stated.
However, Senator Ndume maintained that what is truly required is adequate funding — particularly for the procurement of arms and ammunition — along with better remuneration for officers and men of the Armed Forces.
“Those pushing for the sack of the current Service Chiefs have ulterior motives. They do not mean well for this administration or for Nigerians.
“I want to restate my call for a proactive TEAM approach — that is, Training, Equipment, Ammunition, and Motivation. This combination would go a long way in countering terrorism, banditry, and insurgency.
“It is outlandish and uncharitable for any group to accuse the present Service Chiefs of professional incompetence. All of them have the requisite training and operational experience in the theatre of war.
“What they need is sufficient ammunition and motivation.
“The salary of a private in the Nigerian Army is about ₦100,000 ($67) per month. Their daily allowance — ₦5,000 — is unconscionable and nothing to write home about.
“People should desist from making pronouncements that could dampen the morale of our soldiers and officers on the battlefield,” he said.
Senator Ndume commended the Tinubu-led administration for what he described as its commendable sense of ethno-religious balancing in the composition of the current security leadership, noting this as a departure from what was obtainable in the recent past.
