Former Chairman Senate Committee on Army, and current senator representing Borno South, Ali Ndume, says sacking of service chiefs is not the solution to Boko Haram crisis.
Ndume, a former Chief Whip of the Senate in a statement on Thursday in Abuja, also argued that what is required is proactive team approach, adequate funding in terms of procurement of arms and ammunition and better remuneration of officers and men of the Armed Forces.
Leaders of various ethnic groups in the North under the aegis of Northern Ethnic National Forum led by Dr Dominic Alancha, had during a press conference in Abuja, called for the sack of the present crop of service chiefs, saying they lack the professional capacity to drive and end the war against insurgency and banditry.
“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 said.
But Senator Ndume said, “Those pushing for sack of the present crop of service chiefs have ulterior motive and they do not mean well for the present administration and Nigerians.
“I want to restate my call for a proactive Team approach which means Training, Equipment, Ammunition and Motivation. These combination would go a long way to counter terrorism, banditry and insurgency.
“It is outlandish and uncharitable for any group of individuals to accuse the present service chiefs of professional incompetence. All of them have the requisite training and experience in theatre operations.
“All they need is adequate ammunition and motivation. The salary of a private army in Nigeria is about N100,000.00 ($67.00) per month. Their daily allowance (N5,000.00) is unconscionable and nothing to write home about. People should desist from pronouncement that could dampen the morale of our Soldiers and Officers on the field of operation.”
Ndume also commended the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration for what he called its sense of ethno-religious balancing in the composition of the present security architecture unlike what was obtained in the recent past.
