President Buhari receives Service Chiefs in Salah
BY Gabriel Olawale
A conglomerate of sixteen Civil Society Organizations yesterday described the call by a fraction of the Northern Elders and some politicians for the sack of Service Chiefs as an attempt at demoralizing the nation’s armed forces and its leadership who are currently engaged in tackling series of insurgencies and internal security challenges.
The coalition which comprises of Campaign Against Impunity; Centre for Human & Socio-economic Right; Igbo Assembly Youth; Frontline Economy & Social Research Centre among others, said that the country needs to be wary of fifth columnist and agent of destabilization who are on a mission to wreck the ship of the defence of the country.
Also read: Terrorism: North East elders back Gov Zulum’s call for assistance from Chadian soldiers
Speaking in Lagos, National Coordinator, Campaign Against Impunity, Mr. Shina Loremikan wondered why the so-called elders and their collaborator politicians choose a youth protest against the conduct of the Police to make selfish demand for the sack of Service Chiefs.
“We are really dismayed, over the inability of these elders, to acknowledge the efforts and landmark achievements that have been made by the Nigerian military in the fight against insurgency, and another form of banditry across the nation over the past few months.
“Let not forget that Boko Haram insurgents are lurking around waiting to strike. If we lowered our guard by acceding to the call of those who want the Service Chiefs removed, it may spell doom.”
Corroborating his views, President, Centre for Human & Socio-economic Right, Comrade Alex Omotehinse said that on many occasions, the Chairman Senate Committee on Army, Ali Ndume has said that military lacks the required and modern equipment needed to prosecute the war against the insurgents.
“If we are reforming the police which is the standing force for the internal security and calling for the sack of Service Chiefs at the same time. Is that not anarchy? We have to be careful here not to play into the hands of those who want to wreck the ship of this country.
Omotehinse, however, called on Federal Government to improve its financial obligations to the nation’s Armed Forces in other to improve their capacity towards effectively tackling the unfortunate crisis being witnessed in some parts of the country.
“The EndSARS campaign is just a trigger of the crisis in education, healthcare, lack of infrastructure, unemployment and underemployment in Nigeria. The Army should not be the fall guy in the rot occasioned by many years of neglect in the country. The military-like ordinarily Nigerian is also a victim of the level of decadence and its associated vices over the years.
“This time is sensitive and we must remain careful as Nigerians, in order to avoid falling for the antics of these politicians, whose interests are built around elections and not nation-building.”
Vanguard News
