Senate President’s view on improved security justifies Buhari’s position on service chiefs – BMO

The Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) has described Senate President Ahmad Lawan’s position on improved security in the country as an affirmation of President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision to stick with the current leadership of the armed forces.

The group said in a statement signed by its Chairman Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary Cassidy Madueke that it also reflected the President’s assurances that 2021 would witness significant improvement in security

” The 9th Senate had on three occasions last year concluded that the only way Nigeria’s security situation would improve is for President Buhari to bring new service chiefs on board, and thrice he had stuck to his gun.

“We recall that the last Senate resolution, which also had the support of the House of Representatives, was in December 2020 in the aftermath of the massacre of rice farmers in Borno state by Book Haram insurgents. Soon after that, more than 300 schoolboys were abducted in Kankara, Katsina State.

” Now, barely a month after that resolution, the head of the Legislature has seen enough to declare that the military was doing better and security is improving.

“We invite Nigerians to note that this affirmation happened in spite of the President’s reluctance to sack the service chiefs in the middle of a war.

“So the question is, what changed between when the National Assembly and the Nigeria Governors Forum were putting pressure on President Buhari and now”?

BMO explained that President Buhari’s military background and leadership style were central to the recent achievements of the military in ongoing internal operations.

“Rather than take populist but hasty steps that could derail military operations, the President reposed trust in the same service chiefs that ensured that the country reclaimed territories that were once lost to Boko Haram by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government.

“So we were not surprised that within days of the abduction of more than 300 schoolboys in Katsina State, the security agencies rescued them unhurt as a result of their swift response.

“They also foiled the kidnap attempt on several Islamiya students a few days later in the same State and had in the last few weeks taken the fight to criminal elements including bandits and terrorists in northern Nigeria.

“There is hardly any Nigerian who would not have heard of the audacious attempt by Boko Haram to take over a military base in Marte, Borno State and how troops decimated them through air and ground assault.

“That particular feat would remind us of President Buhari’s directives to service chiefs at this year’s Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebration on greater synergy and cooperation, as well as his charge on a ‘more sustained focus on intelligence gathering and interpretation’.

“So we have no doubt that Nigerians would continue to see more improvement in the security situation in line with his pledge”.

The group also urged Nigerians, especially community leaders, to cooperate more with security agencies.