The Chief of Army Staff, General Tukur Yusuf Buratai, has broken his silence over the request by all and sundry to sack the service chiefs over the poor state of security in the country.
Several Nigerians have asked Buhari to sack the service chiefs in order to instill normalcy in the security situation of the country.
Buratai, during an interview, asked the President should ignore the requests of those urging him to sack the service chiefs.
Speaking on the issue, Buratai said he was forced to make a statement on the issue he would have otherwise kept mute on because he was directly involved, as a service chief himself.
I am tempted not to comment on this particular issue because I am directly involved,” said Tukur Buratai.
He then said that relieving the service chiefs of their duties would not bring a solution to the growing security problems in the country.
Speaking further, he admitted that the sole decision-making power still lies on the President, and said President Muhammadu Buhari knows best where the issues are most severe.
“However, I want to believe that whatever happens, the commander-in-chief is the right arbiter, and he knows where it pinches, he knows where the problems are. I think the decision should be left to him. He should not be pushed or prompted in this regard,” he said.
The Chief of Army Staff said that the insurgency caused by Boko Haram in the country requires the collective efforts of everyone in the country, including the law-makers.
“This is why when you say a particular crop of leaders in the military should be removed for whatever reason, it sounds very odd because we are not addressing the issues,” Buratai said.
“I am not saying this because I am the Chief of Army Staff and I do not want to leave. No, that is not the issue. It is beyond that because this is a national issue, an issue of national pride and national interest.
“Those who would cry loudly against the service chiefs are within, and they are the ones who should be more vocal in the things that are not going right.”
The issue of insecurity in the country has reached a near-tipping point as most Nigerians are already fed up with the incessant amount of kidnappings and killings in the country.
Earlier this week, we brought reports of how Boko Haram killed 30 travelers stuck along Maiduguri road on Sunday in a bomb blast and abducted scores of women and children.
