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The Presidency has reiterated that the nation’s security chiefs will remain in office so long as the President, Muhammadu Buhari is satisfied with their service.
Garba Shehu, Senior Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, stated this during an interview with Arise Television on Monday night.
The statement came amid renewed calls for the sack of the service chiefs by many Nigerians, following the killing of over 43 rice farmers in Zabarmari area of Borno State.
Shehu faulted the demand for the sack of the service chiefs, the demand was “out of place”.
Contrary to claims that the tenure of the current service chiefs has expired, he said the law does not prescribe such term limit.
“I am not aware that the tenure of service chiefs is subject to any law or regulation that is clearly stated. They serve at the pleasure of the president,” the Presidential Spokesperson said.
“If the president is satisfied with their performance, he keeps them. And the buck stops on his table with all due respect to the feelings of Nigerians.
“The clamour for the sack if out of place considering that the president is not subject to the opinion of the opposition political party which has clamoured for this all the time.”
Shehu said contrary to the view of the opposition that “they have a role” in the tenure of service chiefs, it is “entirely up to him (the president) to decide”.
“He decides who he keeps as a service chief and for how long.”
MERIDIAN SPY reported earlier President Buhari issued a marching order to the Nigerian military to take the fight to the insurgents in the North East.
“Nothing is more important than ensuring the security of lives and property of Nigerians. Everything is secondary when security is at stake. I will ensure that more resources are made available to the military and other security agencies to prosecute the war against terrorism,” the President statement reads.
“As we mourn all the lives lost in Zabarmari, the Armed Forces have been given the marching order to take the fight to the insurgents, not on a one-off, but on a continuous basis, until we root out the terrorists.
“We will intensify our cooperation with neighbouring countries on bilateral and multilateral levels, to ensure that there is no hiding place for the terrorists.
“As I noted earlier, the massacre by Boko Haram in Zabarmari is nothing short of senseless, barbaric, gruesome and cowardly. It reinforces our resolve to root out all forms of insurgency and insecurity not just in Borno but everywhere across Nigeria.