Jonathan to service chiefs: You won’t sleep until terror is over

•Says they must not disappoint Nigerians President Goodluck Jonathan has given the new military chiefs a matching order, saying they must not disappoint Nigerians in the war against terrorism. The president specifically said they would not sleep until Nigerians in the crisis-ridden northern parts of the country could sleep. Jonathan said this inside the Council […]

•Says they must not disappoint Nigerians
President Goodluck Jonathan has given the new military chiefs a matching order, saying they must not disappoint Nigerians in the war against terrorism.

The president specifically said they would not sleep until Nigerians in the crisis-ridden northern parts of the country could sleep.

Jonathan said this inside the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa in Abuja today while decorating the new military chiefs.

Our correspondent reports that the president decorated the new military chiefs before the commencement of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.

The new military chiefs are the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh; the Chief of Army Staff, Major-General Kenneth Tobiah Jacob Minimah; the Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Usman O. Jibrin and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Adesola, Nunayon Amosu.

The president said he did not know whether he would congratulate them on their appointments or not because of the current security challenges in the country.

Jonathan said he would rather wish the service chiefs what he wished himself and prayed for enough time to combat insurgency this time around.

The president, who noted that he had worked with some of the military chiefs in one way or the other and that he was convinced that they are the right team to salvage the country this time, specifically said they must not disappoint Nigerians.

He said though he and the military chiefs would be having very fine talks from time to time, Nigerians would definitely tell them (service chiefs) their expectations.

The president, who stressed his government and the military chiefs must not fail the country, expressed the belief that the new military chiefs would work together to be assisted by other intelligence services.

According to him, the synergy among all the security agencies is expedient because the war against terror must be won in Nigeria.

“The service chiefs, I don’t know whether I will congratulate you or I will sympathise with you because of the circumstances of the moment. That reminds me; when I was in secondary school, I read one article written by the Late Dr Tai Solarin, and there is one clause he said ‘I wish you what I wish myself every year. May you have enough time this year’. So, I think I will wish you what I wish myself every year, and may we have enough time this period. Because none of us will sleep till the Nigerians in Borno State can sleep.

“That is why I say today is not a moment for major statements. We will be having very fine talks from time to time, but definitely, Nigerians will tell you what they expect from us. We must not fail this country, and I believe this team will work together to be assisted by other intelligence services because the war against terror must be won in this country”, he said.

The president noted that any time he was decorating military chiefs, he also commended their wives because he knows it is not easy to be barracks-based.

“Whenever I am decorating military officers, I commend their wives because it is not easy to barracks-based and for you to rise to this light…I congratulate you all and your wives. I have worked with some of you in one way or the other, and I am convinced that we selected the right team to salvage this country at this time. You must not disappoint Nigerians”, Jonathan said.