What we expect from new service chiefs – Nigerians

A resident of Maiduguri, Ba Jiddah , urged the new service chiefs to reposition the security architecture of the country. “The new service chiefs should initiate radical changes in the strategies of combating insurgency. AEDC alerts on power interruption in parts of Abuja Meet the new service chiefs: who are they, what have they done? […]

A resident of Maiduguri, Ba Jiddah , urged the new service chiefs to reposition the security architecture of the country.

“The new service chiefs should initiate radical changes in the strategies of combating insurgency.

• AEDC alerts on power interruption in parts of Abuja
• Meet the new service chiefs: who are they, what have they done?

“Insecurity is almost everywhere and the challenges are enormous thus the need for new hands,” he said.

Abubakar Kato, a resident of Kano, said: “The silence of President Buhari over the rejigging of the nation’s security architecture despite growing insecurity in the country for several years disturbed all well-meaning Nigerians.

“The calls were made by governors, National Assembly members, senior citizens and ordinary Nigerians. The sack is indeed cause for relief to all Nigerians that want to see the end of the worsening insecurity in the country.

“It will definitely boost the morale of the officers and men of the Nigerian Armed Forces and bring about fresh ideas in combating the insurgency, banditry, kidnapping and other crimes in the country.

An animator, Tukur Kwairanga said, “The new service chiefs should take a cue from the mistakes of their predecessors as they confront the security challenges in the country.

A consultant, Mustapha Ibrahim, said, “After several calls for the removal of the service chiefs by Nigerians, the government has finally given in.

He urged the new service chiefs to put in their best by adopting new military approaches and innovations to tackle the insurgency and other armed criminality in the country.

On her part, Mrs. Bridget Samuel, an entrepreneur, hopes the appointment of new service chiefs is a sign of better days to come.

“I feel God has given us a fresh start by this appointment, which I is long overdue. Many Nigerians have called for their sack. Ordinarily, they ought to have resigned since, but knowing the kind of country we live in and the type of people we are, they refused.”

A Port Harcourt-based social commentator, Wenenda Wali, said Nigeria needs to define what security challenges are and then move to solve them strategically.

Elder Bright Ogbomudia, a resident of Port Harcourt, said President Buhari acted wisely by listening to the voice of reason, adding that the new appointments are a welcome development.

a lecturer at the University of Jos, Saleh Hayatu, said, “I am very optimistic that things would change. The sacked service chiefs have overstayed and we have been experiencing lots of security challenges. I call on Nigerians to exercise patience and give maximum cooperation to the security agencies in the country.”

Dr. Plangsat Bitrus Dayel, also a lecturer with the University of Jos said, “I am of the opinion that changing the service chiefs may not necessarily change the security situation in the country. However, if there is goodwill on the part of the political class and the government, we are sure to see some changes.”

From Yaba, Lagos, Anigege Mutiu said: With the security situation in the country right now, I do expect them to outperform their predecessors and ultimately leave a positive mark in the minds of Nigerians.

Also from Lagos, Ismail Aniemu, said the new service should review the strategies of their predecessors and give prompt backup to the police in preventing kidnapping, banditry, terrorism and all forms of insecurity issues.

“They should be more professional by insisting that the military is completely divorced from politics.

“The new service chiefs should also seek to restore the declining glory of our armed forces.” He recalled the days the Nigerian military took the lead in multilateral operations like the ECOWAS Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) and other credible peacekeeping missions.

“For the Navy, there is the urgent need to stop the rising cases of piracy, oil thefts and illegal bunkering on Nigerian waters. Collaboration between the airforce and navy should be strengthened while aerial patrol of our maritime domain for interdiction, reconnaissance, interception and arrests of persons and vessels perpetuating unlawful activities on our waters should be sustained,” he said.

In Abeokuta, Segun Dada, said: “I hope they will hit the ground running to arrest the situation of insecurity in the land.”