After ignoring for more than five years calls by concerned Nigerians for the country’s service chiefs to be sack for poor performance, President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday finally yielded by announcing the immediate removal from office of all his service chiefs.
The President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, who made the sack of the top officials known in a statement said the President also named their successors with immediate effect.
Those sacked Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin, a General of the Nigerian Army (Chief of Defence Staff); Tukur Buratai, a Lt. General (Chief of Army Staff); Ibok Ibas, a Vice Admiral (Chief of Naval Staff), and Sadique Abubakar, Air Marshal (Chief of Air Staff).
The new service chiefs are Leo Irabor, a Major-General as Chief of Defence Staff; I. Attahiru, a Major-General as Chief of Army Staff; A.Z Gambo, a Rear Admiral as Chief of Naval Staff, and I.O Amao, an Air-Vice Marshal as Chief of Air Staff.
The statement by Mr Adesina announcing the sack of the service chiefs and appointment of their successors read, “President Muhammadu Buhari has accepted the immediate resignation of the Service Chiefs, and their retirement from service.
“Those involved are the Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonisakin; Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ekwe Ibas; and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar.
“President Buhari thanks the outgoing Service Chiefs for what he calls their ‘overwhelming achievements in our efforts at bringing enduring peace to our dear country,’ wishing them well in their future endeavours.
“The new Service Chiefs are: Major-General Leo Irabor, Chief of Defence Staff; Major-General I. Attahiru, Chief of Army Staff; Rear Admiral A.Z Gambo, Chief of Naval Staff; and Air-Vice Marshal I.O Amao, Chief of Air Staff.
“The President congratulates the new Service Chiefs, and urges them to be loyal and dedicated in the discharge of their responsibilities.”
