NATIONAL: Admit failure, resign your appointments honourably — Tambuwal, Yankassai, others tell service chiefs

THE  Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal and other eminent Nigerians have made a renewed call for the replacement of the service chiefs having shown that they are now bereft of ideas to tackle insecurity in the country.

Tambuwal said without being fired by President Buhari the military chiefs should thread the path of honour by resigning their appointments considering the state of security in Nigeria.

He stated further that the Buhari-led Federal Government should admit failure in the area of security, noting that governing the country and protecting lives and property is not rocket science.

Speaking in the same vein, elder statesmen, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai and Dr Junaid Mohammed, also backed Tambuwal’s position that it’s high time the military chiefs resigned.

Adebanjo, however,  argued that even the President should also have resigned given the way the insecurity problem had festered under his watch.

This position was made known at a webinar organised by the  Emmanuel Chapel, themed, ‘Rebuilding our lives: A case for hope and determination to succeed.”

Tambuwal stressed that it was ironic that the security agencies have been complaining of limited manpower despite millions of youthful Nigerians desperately in need of jobs.

The webinar was also attended by banker and former President of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede; a former Vice-President of the World Bank, Mrs Oby Ezekwesili; former Emir of Kano and ex-governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, and legal practitioner, Prof Konyinsola Ajayi (SAN).

There have been calls from different quarters, including the National Assembly, for the removal of the service chiefs, comprising the Chief of Defence Staff, General Gabriel Olonisakin; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar; Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai and the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ekwe Ibas, given the rising insecurity in recent times.

The calls gained traction following the killing of over 43 farmers by Boko Haram terrorists in Zabamari village in Borno State in November 27, which was followed barely two weeks by the abduction of over 300 schoolboys at Government Science Secondary School in Kankara, Katsina State.

The Kankara abduction happened right under the nose of President Buhari, who had gone to his state for a week-long vacation.

Speaking on the issue of insecurity at the webinar, Tambuwal said, “As far back as June 2018, I made my opinion known about our service chiefs and the Inspector-General and I called for the rejigging of the security architecture.

“There is definitely a need for the service chiefs to go, either they are asked to go by the President who appointed them or by themselves being honourable enough to say we have done our best. It’s clear; even the Commander-in-Chief has said it not one or twice that their best is not enough.

“They should be honourable enough to say, ‘Mr President, we have done our best, our best is not enough, you have adjudged our best not to be good enough, we take a bow, appoint a new set of people that would take charge.’

“No one of us is indispensable. No single individual has the monopoly of knowledge of how to address the challenges we are facing as a nation, more so with insecurity, especially with the fact that they have been tested over the years. The same set of people and we have seen the outcome of their efforts.”

Tambuwal also spoke on how the Federal Government had managed the security situation, saying leadership entails taking critical actions to address emerging challenges.

He said, “We must as a leadership admit that we are failing, and in this case, I mean the centre is failing in providing that leadership.”

Tambuwal, who is also a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, explained that security agents should be equipped with the proper weapons, good remuneration, the right technology and possible collaboration with other countries.

He added, “It is not rocket science; it can be done. We need to recruit more hands and there are many patriotic Nigerians, eminently qualified, able-bodied people that are ready and willing to serve this country in our security agencies. We know Nigeria is under-policed, so what is difficult in employing more hands?”

Yakasai, who is a founding member of the Arewa Consultative Forum, also said, “I certainly support any call that will better our security situation. We are certainly on the edge and the security of lives and property is seriously in jeopardy.”