The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) recently in Jos, Plateau State, warned Nigerian security chiefs to rise up to the responsibilities of protecting Nigerians or lose their jobs. Daily Trust sought opinions of some Nigerians on whether they should be sacked. Sani Isah, 65, Business Executive, Abuja They should not be sacked; because experience matters in […]
Should service chiefs be sacked?
The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) recently in Jos, Plateau State, warned Nigerian security chiefs to rise up to the responsibilities of protecting Nigerians or lose their jobs. Daily Trust sought opinions of some Nigerians on whether they should be sacked.
Sani Isah, 65, Business Executive, Abuja
They should not be sacked; because experience matters in every sphere of life. You cannot throw away the people with expertise in the office for those you have no knowledge of their capabilities. Stopping crime in the land is not about the security chiefs alone, but provision of employment for the unemployed youths in the country, because ‘an idle mind is the devil’s workshop’. So, if they are engaged, there will not be crime.
Harrison Okoro, 27, Legal Practitioner, Uyo
I will support their being sacked. The fact that virtually all of the service chiefs are from one part of Nigeria and of a particular religion does not inspire confidence in the rest of the country. The fact that under their watch, insecurity has reached an all-time high and Nigerians have been killed and displaced from their homes at an unbelievably painful rate does not help matters either. All they have come up with are denials, excuses, and sometimes what sounds like justification of some of the murders we have witnessed. Yes, they need to be sacked as soon as possible
Hon. Dallami Inuwa, 43, Ex-Councillor, Bauchi
I don’t support the sacking of service chiefs. This call has been on for some time now by some individuals for selfish political, ethnic and other parochial reasons. They only want to use the current security challenges to re-echo what has been in their minds. Instead of proffering solutions to the problem, they only want the service chiefs removed. Most of the violence being perpetrated is only meant to discredit the government which prompted the calls. I am in support of the re-organisation of the nation’s security architecture, but not the sacking of the service chiefs or heads of other sister security agencies. Intelligence gathering and community policing must be prioritised to tame the situation before it escalates. That should be the solution, not the sacking of service chiefs.
Asma’u Banu, 43, Self-employed, Abuja
With the incessant killings in the country from the inception of this administration, an efficient and effective security system should have found a proper solution to the issue, but the reverse is the case. The killings and high rate of arm robbery and kidnappings still exits, so if they cannot provide the solution, people that have the solution should replace them.
Bello Tukur, 56, Accountant, Abuja
We have to examine the years the security chiefs have occupied these offices and their achievements. With the level of insecurity in the country, they ought to have been replaced, they have over-stayed their welcome. We should engage capable hands who are ready to handle the country’s security system.
Susan Edeh, 32, Journalist, Bauchi
Why should the service chiefs be sacked? They should not be sacked, because that is not where the answer lies. What needs to be done is motivation and provision of working equipment for security agencies operating in the troubled areas. The call, especially by the Nigerian senate, for their sack should be disregarded. They are only making the call because they have an axe to grind with some of them. What is happening is not the fault of the service chiefs, it a combination of many factors, which include religious as well as political factors. They may have their flaws, but they are doing their best to maintain security because the security situation in the country has improved significantly if not for the violence being witnessed in recent months.
Comrade Tahir Adamu, 51, Civil Servant, Bauchi
The solution is not sacking of service chiefs. What the government should do is to carry out a thorough investigation around the issue to find a lasting solution. But that will not be achieved until all culprits who instigate or participated in these crises are punished, no matter how highly placed they are. Prominent individuals have been making uncomplimentary remarks against the security agencies, especially when their ethnic, religious or political group is being accused of violence. Such kind of people must be tamed through prosecution to serve as a deterrent to others. National Assembly members who have been in the forefront of the call for the sacking of the service chiefs should be asked whether they have ever made a legislation that will strengthen security or provided laws to punish culprits involved in this violence? Why should the service chiefs be sacked while prominent individuals have been known to be behind the crises? The federal and state governments must rise up to address the security challenges squarely, especially at this time when elections are coming and many politicians will capitalise on the situation to score cheap political points.
