The Rainbow
The Presidency reacted swiftly to the call by the Senate for the sack of Nigerian service chiefs, saying it falls within the purview of President Muhammadu Buhari to determine whether or not to sack them.
Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, in a statement, said the appointment and sack of Service Chiefs remain the prerogative of the President.
President Muhammadu Buhari will do what is in the best interest of the country, Adesina said.
He said, “The Senate Tuesday adopted a resolution calling on the Service Chiefs to resign or be sacked due to the multi-pronged security challenges in the country.
“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.”
The Senate had at its plenary called on President Buhari to sack all the Service Chiefs to enable the Upper Chamber following incessant killings by bandits and terrorists especially in the North.
According to the upper legislative chamber, it has become compelling for the Service Chiefs to step down especially against the backdrop of recent action where over 200 Soldiers deserted.
The four service whom the Senate is asking for their sack are Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonisakin; Chief of Army Staff, General Tukur Buratai; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar and Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Marshal Ibok- Ete Ibas.
The Senate mandated the joint committees of Army, Navy and Defence, Interior, Airforce to interface with the concerned heads of security agencies.
The senate took this step following a motion by former Senate Leader, and Chairman, Senate Committee on Army, Senator Ali Ndume, APC, Borno South.
Coming under Order 42(1) of the Senate Standing Orders as Amended, Senator Ndume said that the high level of casualties among the rank and file of the Military and other Security Agencies is disconnected and wrsb+where over 21 Soldiers were ambushed in Gamboa in Borno State and also in Katsina.
