By Ayo Kehinde
L-R; Air Marshal, Sadique Abubakar of the NAF, Rear Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas as Chief of Naval Staff Navy, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai, CAS, Major-General Abayomi Gabriel Olonishakin as Chief of Defence Staff
The Presidency and the Senate on Tuesday clashed over the usefulness of the service chiefs in office considering the sustained killings of soldiers fighting Boko Haram terrorists and bandits in the country.
Senator Ali Ndume, the Senate Chairman Committee on Army on Tuesday who moved the motion on this, argued that apart from the killings of the soldiers, many of them was throwing in their resignation to show that a crisis had broken out in the country’s armed forces.
According Ndumi, APC Borno South, soldiers were recently ambushed and killed along Damboa-Maiduguri in Borno State, with 19 wounded and nine declared missing in action.
He said. “The Senate is disturbed that in Katsina again about 20 soldiers were also ambushed and killed while several others were wounded.
“The Senate appreciates the sacrifices of our armed forces in the fight against insurgency, banditry and protection of the territorial integrity of Nigeria.
“The Senate is concerned that if the trend continues, it will have serious implication on the fight against insurgency and banditry in the country,” Ndume added.
He said the resignation of soldiers including their deaths in the hands of terrorists, is a clear indication the service chiefs has overstayed their welcome, even as they should have been retired if their service year were put into consideration.
Supporting the motion, the Vice-Chairman of the Senate Committee on Customs, Senator Ayo Fadahunsi, urged that the service chiefs stepped aside a motion that was seconded by Senator Betty Apiafi.
However, the Senate Leader, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi (APC – Kebbi North), in his contribution, called on Security Agencies to change their tact and strategy of deployment in the fight against insecurity in the country.
The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, ruled on the prayer and it was overwhelmingly supported by all the senators in attendance.
But in a swift reaction, the Presidency replied to the move to say President Buhari reserves the prerogatives on the fate of the service chiefs.
Mr Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity said: “The Presidency notes the resolution, and reiterates that appointment or sack of Service Chiefs is a Presidential prerogative, and President Muhammadu Buhari, in his capacity as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, will do what is in the best interest of the country at all times.’’
